If you are an NHS Pension Scheme member and have not yet received your Pension Savings Statement (PSS), it is important not to assume that this means you have not exceeded the Annual Allowance.
A Pension Savings Statement can be an important part of understanding your pension tax position. It can also provide figures that may be needed when considering carry-forward, pension planning and any potential Annual Allowance tax charge.
With continuing delays affecting some NHS pension statements, members may be left trying to understand what they should do and when they should request information.
The key message is simple:
Not receiving a Pension Savings Statement does not mean you have not exceeded the Annual Allowance.
If you believe you may be affected, it is worth taking action rather than waiting for a statement to arrive automatically.
What Is a Pension Savings Statement?
A Pension Savings Statement provides information about your pension growth in the NHS Pension Scheme for a particular tax year.
NHSBSA explains that the statement shows pension growth across the relevant NHS Pension Scheme arrangements and can indicate whether the pension input amount has exceeded the Annual Allowance. Members can also request an On Demand statement even where they have not exceeded the Annual Allowance.
This information can be particularly important for NHS professionals with:
- Higher pensionable earnings
- Multiple pension arrangements
- Additional private pensions or SIPPs
- Previous years’ unused Annual Allowance
- Potentially tapered Annual Allowance
- Complex NHS pension histories
- Plans to make further pension contributions
Does Not Receiving a Statement Mean You Are Under the Annual Allowance?
No.
This is one of the most important points for NHS Pension members to understand.
You should not assume that you are below the Annual Allowance simply because you have not received a Pension Savings Statement.
HMRC guidance states that pension scheme administrators should provide a Pension Savings Statement where the relevant conditions are met, normally by 6 October following the end of the relevant tax year. Members can also request pension savings information where a statement is not automatically required.
For the 2025/26 tax year, the standard date for providing a Pension Savings Statement is 6 October 2026.
If you have not received one, that does not by itself confirm that your pension input amount is below the Annual Allowance.
Instead, you may need to establish your position using the available pension information and, where appropriate, request the relevant statement or information from NHS Pensions.
Why Is the 6 October Deadline Important?
The 6 October deadline is a statutory deadline for pension scheme administrators to provide relevant pension savings information in circumstances covered by the rules.
HMRC’s Pension Tax Manual confirms that a Pension Savings Statement should ordinarily be provided by 6 October following the end of the relevant tax year.
For the 2025/26 tax year:
- Tax year: 6 April 2025 – 5 April 2026
- Standard PSS deadline: 6 October 2026
However, there are circumstances where the deadline can be extended, particularly where the scheme administrator is waiting for information needed to calculate the pension input amount. HMRC rules set out how these situations should be handled.
This is why members should not simply rely on whether a statement has appeared in their account.
Can You Request a Pension Savings Statement Yourself?
Yes.
NHSBSA confirms that members can request an On Demand Pension Savings Statement, including where their pension growth is below the Annual Allowance.
This can be particularly useful for members who want to understand their position before making further pension decisions.
For example, you may want to know your pension input figures because you are considering:
- Making additional pension contributions
- Contributing to a SIPP
- Using carry-forward
- Reviewing your retirement plans
- Checking whether the tapered Annual Allowance may apply
- Completing your Self Assessment tax return
- Understanding whether an Annual Allowance tax charge could arise
Why Should Higher Earners Consider Requesting Statements?
The Annual Allowance is not simply about whether your pension contributions have exceeded a particular amount.
For defined benefit pensions such as the NHS Pension Scheme, the calculation is based on pension input amounts, which reflect the increase in pension benefits rather than simply the amount paid into the scheme.
The standard Annual Allowance is currently £60,000, although the amount available to an individual can be lower in certain circumstances, including where the tapered Annual Allowance applies. The tax treatment of investments depends on individual circumstances and may change in the future.
For some higher earners, understanding the pension input amount can therefore be particularly important.
You may also have unused Annual Allowance from previous tax years that could potentially be carried forward, subject to the relevant rules.
Without accurate pension figures, it can be difficult to establish how much Annual Allowance you have available.
What About Carry-Forward?
Carry-forward allows eligible individuals to use unused Annual Allowance from the previous three tax years, subject to the relevant conditions.
This can be valuable for people with significant pension contributions or pension growth.
However, you need accurate figures from previous tax years to understand how much unused allowance may be available.
A Pension Savings Statement can therefore be useful even if you ultimately discover that no Annual Allowance tax charge is due.
The information can help you understand your pension position and make decisions about future contributions.
What If You Are Not Sure Whether You Are Tapered?
This is another area where NHS Pension members need to be careful.
A Pension Savings Statement is not necessarily the same thing as a complete assessment of your personal Annual Allowance position.
The standard Annual Allowance can be reduced for some higher earners under the tapered Annual Allowance rules.
For 2026/27, HMRC states that the tapered Annual Allowance can apply where both:
- Threshold income is above £200,000; and
- Adjusted income is above £260,000.
The thresholds can differ for earlier tax years.
This means that receiving or not receiving a Pension Savings Statement should not be treated as a complete answer to the question of whether you have an Annual Allowance tax charge.
Your wider income and pension position may need to be considered.
What If NHS Pensions Has Not Provided the Information?
HMRC guidance sets out specific deadlines for providing requested pension savings information.
Where a member requests information, the scheme administrator generally has until the later of:
- Three months after receiving the request; or
- 6 October following the end of the relevant tax year.
There can be extensions where the administrator is waiting for information required from another party.
NHSBSA also states that it needs annual pay and membership information from employers to calculate pension growth. Employers are required to provide this information by 6 July following the end of the tax year.
This is one reason delays can occur where the underlying pension information has not yet been received or processed.
What Should You Do If You Have Not Received Your Statement?
If you believe you may be affected, consider taking the following steps.
1. Do Not Assume You Are Below the Annual Allowance
The absence of a statement is not confirmation that you have not exceeded the Annual Allowance.
2. Check Your NHS Pension Information
Review your available NHS pension information and check whether your pension record appears complete.
3. Request the Relevant Information
If you need a Pension Savings Statement, consider requesting one from NHS Pensions rather than simply waiting for one to arrive.
NHSBSA confirms that members can request an On Demand statement.
4. Consider Your Other Pension Arrangements
If you have a SIPP, personal pension or another workplace pension, remember that your overall Annual Allowance position may involve more than one pension arrangement.
5. Check Whether Carry-Forward Could Be Relevant
If your pension input amounts are high, previous years’ unused Annual Allowance may be relevant.
6. Consider Your Self-Assessment Position
If you have an Annual Allowance tax charge, this may need to be reported through Self-Assessment.
HMRC states that an Annual Allowance charge is generally reported on the Self-Assessment tax return, with the online filing deadline normally being 31 January following the end of the relevant tax year.
Why Waiting Until the Last Minute Can Be Risky
The problem with waiting until the final deadline is that you may have limited time to establish your position.
If you are a higher earner with significant pension growth, you may need time to:
- Obtain pension information
- Calculate your Annual Allowance position
- Check carry-forward
- Consider whether the tapered Annual Allowance applies
- Establish whether an Annual Allowance tax charge arises
- Consider whether Scheme Pays may be relevant
- Provide information to your accountant
- Complete your Self-Assessment return
This is particularly important because pension tax calculations can be more complicated for NHS Pension Scheme members with multiple schemes or changing employment arrangements.
What If You Have Received a Remedial Pension Savings Statement?
Some NHS Pension members may also be dealing with Remedial Pension Savings Statements (RPSS) as a result of the McCloud remedy.
This can make pension tax planning more complicated because the relevant pension information may need to be considered alongside the changes arising from the remedy.
If you have received an RPSS, or are waiting for one, it may be important to understand how it affects your wider pension tax position before making decisions.
What Should NHS Pension Members Remember?
The most important points are:
Not receiving a Pension Savings Statement does not mean you are below the Annual Allowance.
The 6 October deadline is important, but there are statutory rules governing when information must be provided and circumstances where deadlines can be extended.
Members can request an On Demand Pension Savings Statement.
Higher earners may need to consider carry-forward and the tapered Annual Allowance.
Your NHS pension statement is not necessarily the complete picture of your Annual Allowance position if you have other pension arrangements.
And importantly, do not make significant pension decisions simply because you have not received a statement.
How Wealth Genius Can Help
Understanding NHS pension tax rules can be difficult, particularly if you have a combination of NHS pension benefits, private pensions, additional contributions and changing income.
At Wealth Genius, we can help you understand how your pension arrangements fit into your wider financial position.
This may include reviewing:
- NHS pension benefits
- Pension tax planning
- Annual Allowance considerations
- Carry-forward
- Retirement planning
- SIPP and private pension arrangements
- Cashflow planning
- Wider financial planning
If you are unsure about your NHS pension tax position or have not received the information you expected, getting clarity early can help you make more informed decisions.
Key Takeaway
Do not assume that no Pension Savings Statement means no Annual Allowance issue.
The NHS Pension Scheme and HMRC have specific rules and deadlines around pension savings information. If you are a higher earner, have significant pension growth or have multiple pension arrangements, understanding your figures can be important for both tax planning and retirement planning.
If you have not received a statement, check your position rather than relying on its absence as confirmation that you are below the Annual Allowance.
This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice or a personal recommendation.
The information in this article reflects the rules and guidance available at the time of writing. You should consider obtaining appropriate regulated financial advice before making significant decisions about pensions or investments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Pension Savings Statement?
A Pension Savings Statement provides information about your pension input amount for a particular tax year and can help establish whether you have exceeded the relevant Annual Allowance in that pension scheme.
What is the deadline for an NHS Pension Savings Statement?
The standard deadline is 6 October following the end of the relevant tax year, although specific circumstances can affect the deadline.
If I have not received my Pension Savings Statement, does that mean I have not exceeded the Annual Allowance?
No. You should not treat the absence of a statement as confirmation that you are below the Annual Allowance.
Can I request an NHS Pension Savings Statement?
Yes. NHSBSA states that members can request an On Demand Pension Savings Statement, including where pension growth is below the Annual Allowance.
What is the Annual Allowance for 2026/27?
The standard Annual Allowance is £60,000 for 2026/27, although a lower amount may apply in certain circumstances, including the tapered Annual Allowance.
Can I use carry-forward if I have exceeded the Annual Allowance?
Potentially. Eligible individuals may be able to use unused Annual Allowance from the previous three tax years, subject to the relevant conditions.
What happens if I have an Annual Allowance tax charge?
If you have an Annual Allowance tax charge, you generally need to report it through Self Assessment. There may also be circumstances where Scheme Pays is available, subject to the applicable NHS Pension Scheme rules.
Does NHS Pensions know whether I am subject to the tapered Annual Allowance?
Your pension scheme information does not necessarily determine your full tapered Annual Allowance position. The tapered Annual Allowance depends on wider income calculations as well as pension input.
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