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Frequently Asked Questions about the Pension Lifetime Allowance

Pension Lifetime Allowance� The lifetime allowance (LTA) is the limit on how much you can build up in pension benefits over your lifetime while still receiving full tax benefits. The LTA is currently set at �1,073,100; if your pension pots go over the allowance, you�ll usually pay a charge.� Now the compensation cap is being removed; some members may be liable to pay a lifetime allowance charge on their PPF benefits.�

Defined benefit pension beliefs

We've identified 10 common beliefs people hold about their defined benefit scheme. Test your knowledge and find out more about DB pensions. 

Where we are with the European Court of Justice ruling

Since our last update in December new court proceedings have started against us, seeking to challenge, among other things, our intended approach for calculating any increases due to our members as a result of the ruling.

Removing the compensation cap and paying arrears

In July 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled the PPF compensation cap was unlawful on the grounds of age discrimination. They supported our approach to increasing payments to PPF and FAS members following the 2018 European Court of Justice judgment in the Hampshire case. We’ve been working on how to implement it.

Court confirms Hampshire methodology is permissible

Today the Administrative Court has ruled on the challenge brought against us by a number of members following the ECJ’s ruling in Hampshire.

Next steps after court ruling on Hampshire methodology

The Administrative Court’s judgment in June 2020 upheld our general approach to calculating increases in compensation as a result of the Hampshire ruling. But it also said we need to make sure members and survivors each receive at least 50% on a cumulative basis of the actual value of the benefits their scheme would have provided. 

Court of Appeal judgment on Hughes judicial review

The Court of Appeal has supported our approach for increasing payments to PPF and FAS members following the 2018 European Court of Justice judgment in the Hampshire case.

More member benefit increases after ECJ ruling

In April, we confirmed that we had started to pay increased benefits to PPF and FAS pensioners who were most affected by the Court of Justice of the European Union’s (ECJ’s) ruling because they had had their benefits adjusted by the Long Service Cap.

Uncapping is a complex process

In September this year, we issued an update on our work to implement the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the compensation cap was unlawful, and to pay arrears to pensioners due increases as a result of the Hampshire ruling. 

More Hampshire decisions confirmed

In our recent update about progress on uncapping PPF compensation, we still had to finalise whether to put a six-year time limit on arrears payments due to PPF and FAS pensioners. This followed the Court of Appeal’s judgments on the methodology for implementing the ECJ’s Hampshire decision and the PPF compensation cap. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and our Board have now finalised those decisions.