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Tax allowances - what's the latest?

Changes to your tax allowances

Important information - the value of investments can go down as well as up so you may not get back what you invest. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and all tax rules may change in the future. Withdrawals from a Junior ISA will not be possible until the child reaches age 18. Withdrawals from a SIPP/Junior SIPP will not normally be possible until you/the child reaches age 55 (57 from 2028).

Keep informed

Did you know that tax allowances are subject to change by the government? On this page we'll keep you updated with the latest tax allowances information and how those changes might affect you.

Tax allowances specify how much you can earn, save and gain, without paying tax. Learn more about how to pay less tax using your valuable tax allowances.
 

Autumn Budget 2024

On 30 October Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced Labour’s first Budget in nearly 15 years. Here are the main points we think are relevant for investors: 

ISAs - There were no changes announced to the current annual tax allowance limit of £20,000. Find out more about Fidelity’s Stocks & Shares ISA

Pensions - No decrease in the tax-free cash limits from pensions was announced which means savers can still withdraw 25% of their pension tax-free up to a limit of their available Lump Sum Allowance, which has not changed. The state pension will rise by 4.1% in April 2025 and maintain the state pension triple lock. Find out about all pension allowances

Inheritance Tax (IHT) - The tax-free allowance for IHT is frozen for a further two years, until 2030. The Government has announced that from 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included within the value of a person's estate for IHT purposes. A consultation on how to implement the change to pension funds and death benefits closes on 22 January 2025. Read more about IHT.  

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) - The lower rate of CGT will increase from 10% to 18% and the higher rate will increase from 20% to 24% from 30 October 2024. Find out about CGT.

Personal tax - There were no increases in income tax, national insurance or VAT announced. However, the tax thresholds which were frozen by the Conservative government will start to increase again by the rate of inflation in 2028/29. Here’s a reminder on current personal income tax rates.

What’s changing in the 2024/25 tax year?

Here are some of the changes you need to be aware of for this tax year:
 

  • The annual tax-free allowance on capital gains is halved, down to £3,000 for an individual (£6,000 for a couple) and £1,500 for most trustees.
  • The tax-free allowance for dividends has fallen, from £1,000 a year to £500. 
  • A new tax band has been introduced for Scotland. The Scottish Advanced rate has been added between the existing Higher Rate and the Top Rate. The new Advanced Rate is 45%, while the Top rate has increased to 48%. Additionally, thresholds for all but the Top Rate have changed. Find out more about Personal Income Tax rates.
  • The limit on subscribing to one ISA of each type per year has been lifted (with the exception of the Junior ISA and the Lifetime ISA). This means that an individual is allowed multiple ISAs, although the amount invested must not exceed the overall ISA limit which remains at £20,000. 
  • The lifetime allowance (LTA) is the total amount of pension savings (apart from your State Pension) that you can build up while still getting the full tax benefits. It’s replaced by three allowances: 
    • the lump sum allowance (LSA)
    • the lump sum and death benefit allowance (LSDBA)
    • the overseas transfer allowance (OTA) . Find out more about new lump sum allowances
  • The lower rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) has increased rom 10% to 18% and the higher rate has increased from 20% to 24% from 30 October 2024. Find out more about the  ​new allowances​.

Next steps

None

If you’d like to learn about how to save tax-efficiently, here are some useful pages you might want to visit on our website.

  • Be tax-efficient - see for yourself the impact being tax-efficient can have on your finances. 
  • Capital Gains Tax - learn why you don’t pay it on your ISA or SIPP investments. 
  • Tax allowances - this page gives the lowdown on all your tax allowances - so you don’t have to pay more tax than you need to.  
  • Explore ISAs and SIPPs - our Stocks and Shares ISA and Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) are two tax-efficient ways to save for your goals.

Need advice to reach your goals?

If you’re looking for a personal recommendation, call 0800 222 550 for a free, no obligation chat to find out whether our paid-for financial service is right for you.

FAQs

Where can I find more information on 2024/25 Tax Allowances?
Are there any significant changes to pension allowances this tax year?
Where can I find out more about Capital Gains Tax?
Do you offer any tax-efficient accounts for children?

Important information - This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice.