NHS pension

Probably because you’ve gone above your yearly tax allowance.
Like a lot of us.

Personal Allowance has been frozen until 2028 at £12,570 therefore, any income you have coming in that's above that amount is taxable. State Pension cannot be taxed at source and so is paid to you in full, therefore any taxes due are deducted from any private pensions or other income you have. Because State Pensions are triple locked to increase each year, but the Personal Allowance is not, more and more pensioners, who's sole income is the state pension, will be dragged into paying tax and, in their cases they will have to complete a Simple Tax Assessment form and pay any owing taxes directly to HMRC. It's called Fiscal Drag.

Correct, but just to add that it was announced that those who would now be taxed whose State Pension was their only source of income would somehow be exempt for the duration of this Parliament.
commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10250/

If ANY govt was serious about “poverty” they would unfreeze the personal allowance and raise it and also review ALL state pensions, get rid of the triple lock and pay a decent state pension, with everyone receiving the same rate, get rid of pensions credits and WFP and raise it by inflation each year.

Only my opinion, don’t shoot me please.

Surprised you get the full State pension as NHS pension were contracted out. Most of my ex work chums have slightly less of the State pension, I do vs my DH's.
But your reduced amount is all due to Tax, thresholds, others have put it on here for you to investigate.

Mine has gone down slightly too as my tax code has changed. Explained very well by others here.

Cossy I totally agree with you, but I feel we are in the minority.

I have no desire to shoot you Cossy and I think you made a valid point but having paid full stamp all my long working life, I have mixed feelings about "everyone receiving the same rate".

At times I was very short of money and it was a struggle to make ends meet but I didn't opt for the married woman's reduced stamp because I had to build enough contributions to get the full pension.

It's not that I want to deprive anyone of a decent pension but it would make my years of scrimping and scraping seem utterly futile.

Cossy

If ANY govt was serious about “poverty” they would unfreeze the personal allowance and raise it and also review ALL state pensions, get rid of the triple lock and pay a decent state pension, with everyone receiving the same rate, get rid of pensions credits and WFP and raise it by inflation each year.

Only my opinion, don’t shoot me please.

This.

I also receive an NHS pension which took a substantial chunk of my salary in contributions to build up while I was working.

Magenta8

I have no desire to shoot you Cossy and I think you made a valid point but having paid full stamp all my long working life, I have mixed feelings about "everyone receiving the same rate".

At times I was very short of money and it was a struggle to make ends meet but I didn't opt for the married woman's reduced stamp because I had to build enough contributions to get the full pension.

It's not that I want to deprive anyone of a decent pension but it would make my years of scrimping and scraping seem utterly futile.

Agreed, Magenta.

A pension should be based on contributions, or be a universal benefit with the pension part of people's NI refunded to those who paid it. Where is the incentive for workers to keep paying tax and NI if those who don't bother get the same benefits? It's part of a wider picture, where the same people make compulsory payments to fund others via benefits, pensions, care homes etc, and resentment is building.

Younger people (or some of them) resent paying for our pensions as it is. I take issue with that when pensioners have contributed to the pensions of others in our turn, but I can see younger people's point when they haven't. You (generic) can't have it both ways - you either pay in when you can and take out when you retire, or pay less in the knowledge that you will take out less when the time comes.

It's not that I want to see anyone go without either, but there has to be a point in a lifetime of working and making contributions.

It should all be made simpler; perhaps that is what the new SP is attempting to do but contracted in or out, Guaranteed Minimum Pension, additional contributions, SERPS - it's a minefield for some.

Yes, my works pension increase, resulted in a loss the first month and less than £4 per month thereafter of a supposed 3.8% increase, because of extra income tax.

Cossy

If ANY govt was serious about “poverty” they would unfreeze the personal allowance and raise it and also review ALL state pensions, get rid of the triple lock and pay a decent state pension, with everyone receiving the same rate, get rid of pensions credits and WFP and raise it by inflation each year.

Only my opinion, don’t shoot me please.

It depends on what you mean by a decent state pension. What is paid reflects the amount we pay towards. Other countries may have bigger pensions but their contributions towards it are far greater. The new state pension generally favours the lower paid, typically women, and it gradually closing the average gap between the two pensions. Whatever level it is settled at it must be sustainable in the long run.

For the last 22 years since my husband died I had £29.56 a month from his private pension . Got my state pension 2 years ago. I don't have a private pension. Until this year didn't pay tax. But because of my husband's private pension it put me £53 over the tax free limit so £6.60 is take out of the £29.56 every month.
Took me 35 years of fighting when my health got worse I was born disabled. Only had my diagnosis of my disability in 2022 after having my whole genome genetically tested and its rare. But still had to fight for PIP. Thanks to the Brain Charity they got me a solicitor pro bono and went to PIP tribunal and won . I do get a bit of pension credit at least these aren't classed as income.

I know a lot of people that now have to pay tax who have state pension and a bit of private pension.

I'm not sure whether you mean to sound as though you think that's unfair, Whiff, but if you've never paid tax or into a pension yet are getting a SP, PC and something from your late husband's pension you are doing ok. Most people pay in for years to get that sort of income.

I think the personal allowance is too low, but there is no logical reason why pensioners should be excused tax that working people have to pay. IMO the allowance should be raised for everyone.

Doodledog I did work and pay my NI contributions plus I plus extra voluntary contributions as I was low paid but saved to pay extra before and after my husband died . One year I paid 10 years extra contributions in a lump sum. So I did pay for my state pension.

My husband was on a good salary and paid extra once he was told he wouldn't live 5 years . This was in the days when woman could get their state pension st 60 and claim part of their dead husbands state pension. Then it all changed. My husband paid a lot of tax and NI for 30 years as he died aged 47. Out of his NI contributions I get just over £1 a week. Gone up from the 48p when I got my state pension 2 years ago.

When I got pension forecast I asked why so little was told he only paid for 30 years and I said but he died. The woman said not my problem and put the phone down on me.

I’m the same as you Whiff. My husband died at age 48. I’m lucky if I get a £1 a week from his NI contributions also. The grand sum of approx £52 a year before tax. Which with inflation rising yearly is eroded away to almost nothing. I paid a lump sum to increase my state pension to the maximum before getting my state pension at age 66 as I had a contracted out company pension. Don’t get me started on not getting the state pension at age 60! A loss of approximately £40k in state pension payments over the six years.

I too get an NHS pension, but as I don’t get my state pension for another two years I work bank shifts to supplement it. I was shocked to see that my NHS pension went down by £100 because of this. You win some, you lose some….

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sorry Whiff. I misunderstood your post. My apologies.

Doodledog no need to apologise. I always read what you post on various threads as I have found your posts sensible and helpful.

When my husband died I was 45 and given £2,000 by the government to go towards funeral costs. We had already put money aside so gave the children it but they had to put it into their savings.