State pension and tax
Here's something that catches a lot of people out: the State Pension counts as taxable income, even though it's paid to you gross, with no tax taken off at source. Whether you actually pay any tax on it depends on your total income from all sources — pensions, savings, part-time work — measured against your personal allowance. This section untangles how the State Pension sits inside the income tax system, what happens once your total income crosses the tax-free threshold, and whether you still pay National Insurance once you've reached state pension age (short answer: usually not, on your own earnings, but there are exceptions).
Is the state pension taxable?
Why it's taxable in principle but tax-free in practice for many pensioners, and when that changes.
State pension and the tax threshold
How your personal allowance interacts with a rising state pension, and what "fiscal drag" means for you.
Do I still pay NI after state pension age?
The rules on National Insurance once you reach state pension age, including if you're still employed.
If tax on your pension income feels complicated, our wider guide to pension income and tax covers how the State Pension fits alongside workplace and private pensions.