Karl McCartney, the Member of Parliament for the City of Lincoln, has welcomed the biggest reform of the state pension since it was created more than a century ago, alongside a major package of reforms to tax, pensions and savings to help workers which is coming into effect today.
This month people in Lincoln who reach retirement age will receive the new State Pension, with the full rate set at £155.65 per week, or over £8,000 a year.
The new State Pension particularly benefits women reaching pension age over the next decade. In the past, many were unable to build much of the previous earnings-related additional State Pension – from now on, everyone will build up the new State Pension in the same way. Over 75 per cent of women and over 70 per cent of men will gain in the first 15 years of the new State Pension, and by 2030 over three million women stand to gain an average of over £550 extra per year as a result of these changes.
The new pension is among a number of reforms to taxes, National Insurance allowances and savings coming into effect today to back hard work, support savers and ensure economic security at every stage of life. This includes a new personal savings allowance that means most people will be able to earn up to £1,000 interest a year on their savings without paying tax. Over 18 million are set to benefit, with nearly 17 million taken out of savings tax altogether.
The tax free personal allowance also increases from £10,600 to £11,000, giving an £80 tax cut to a typical taxpayer in Lincoln, while the higher rate threshold rises to £43,000, delivering on the Conservatives commitment that working people will keep more of the money they earn. An estimated 1,248 low-earners in Lincoln will be taken out of paying income tax altogether today, while 50,398 people in the City will see their income tax cut.
Karl McCartney, Lincoln’s Member of Parliament, said: “We are committed to supporting people at every stage of their life, which means helping hardworking people in the City keep more of the money they earn and providing dignity and security in retirement.
“The new State Pension will provide clarity and confidence for people across Lincoln about what income they will get from the state in their retirement while helping those who have historically lost out under the old system.
"It’s great news that over 50,000 people in Lincoln are now receiving a tax cut since last week and over 2,000 low-earners will be taken out of income tax altogether as we continue to back people who are working hard, saving hard, and doing the right thing."
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For further information, please contact Karl McCartney JP MP at [email protected] / 020 7219 7221.