{"id":803865,"date":"2026-10-15T23:13:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T23:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/803865\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T23:13:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T23:13:04","slug":"the-four-ways-state-pensioners-could-be-exempted-from-paying-tax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/803865\/","title":{"rendered":"The four ways state pensioners could be exempted from paying tax"},"content":{"rendered":"

In his speech to Labour\u2019s annual conference in Liverpool last month<\/a>, Andy Burnham repeated a promise that \u201clow-income pensioners won\u2019t be dragged into paying income tax in this Parliament\u201d.<\/p>\n

It built on previous assurances \u2013 including from the pensions minister Torsten Bell<\/a> \u2013 that people wholly dependent on the state pension \u201cwill not have the administrative burden of paying small amounts of tax in this Parliament\u201d.<\/p>\n

While the Government has been adamant that retirees in this situation will not have to pay income tax, it is still not clear what mechanism will be used to exempt them, with the Treasury promising to set this out in the Budget on 28 October.<\/p>\n

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Russell Brand trial continues \u2013 what you need to know<\/p>\n

Russell Brand has been in court today for the second day of his rape and sexual assault trial.<\/p>\n

The actor and presenter has denied all the charges against him.<\/p>\n

\"CourtRussell Brand faces rape and sexual assault charges (Photo: Elizabeth Cook\/PA)<\/p>\n

The second day of the trial<\/p>\n

On the first day of the trial, Brand was described as a \u201cruthless sexual predator\u201d.<\/p>\n

The 51-year-old faces three allegations of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, after being accused by six women.<\/p>\n

Today, the trial focused on one woman who was allegedly raped by Brand at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999.<\/p>\n

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\nWhat the court heard today\n<\/p>\n

In a recorded interview, the woman who was allegedly attacked in a Bournemouth hotel room told the court how Brand said: \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it, it\u2019s just fun, it\u2019s normal,\u201d as he allegedly raped her.<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Russell Brand faces rape and sexual assault charges (Photo: Zeynep Demir\/Getty)<\/p>\n

She described washing herself for hours in the bathroom, \u201cfeeling dirty\u201d and blaming herself for what had happened.<\/p>\n

Brand was \u2018gentlemanly\u2019 and \u2018effeminate\u2019 at first<\/p>\n

The court heard that Brand had playfully popped up behind the woman and pulled her ponytail \u201cthree or four times\u201d.<\/p>\n

The defendant was \u201cvery gentlemanly\u201d, \u201cattentive\u201d and \u201csoftly spoken\u201d when they first met, the woman said.<\/p>\n

She also described him as \u201ceffeminate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the alleged rape, the woman said she had been chatting to Brand \u201cfor hours\u201d before she invited him to her hotel room to continue their conversation.<\/p>\n

\"CourtCaption: Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of prosecuting KC Riel Karmy-Jones KC speaking, as Russell Brand appears in the dock during jury selection??at Southwark Crown Court, London, where he faces three charges of rape, indecent assault, and three counts of sexual assault, relating to six women. Picture date: Monday October 12, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Elizabeth Cook\/the Press Association
Photographer: Elizabeth Cook
Provider: Elizabeth Cook\/the Press Association
Source: PA<\/p>\n

news<\/p>\n

Brand \u2018goose stepped\u2019 like Basil Fawlty<\/p>\n

When they were in the hotel room, the woman said he stripped off his clothes and started \u201cgoose stepping\u201d around the room like British sitcom character Basil Fawlty.<\/p>\n

Woman was worried about being pregnant after attack, court hears<\/p>\n

The woman told police that she had nightmares about the possibility of being pregnant after the alleged attack.<\/p>\n

She also said that Brand told her not to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, as he got himself regularly tested.<\/p>\n

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news<\/p>\n

Zelensky vows to resume Russia attacks \u2013 all you need to know<\/p>\n

\"Ukraine'sCaption: Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a press conference following talks with Germany\u2019s Chancellor in Mariinsky Palace following talks in Kyiv on October 4, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY \/ AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: SERGEI SUPINSKY
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors<\/p>\n

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country will resume attacks on Russian oil refineries in an interview with the Financial Times. The move will put the final nail in the coffin of Donald Trump\u2019s apparent \u201cenergy ceasefire\u201d after Russia struck Ukraine\u2019s energy facilities within hours of the announcement.<\/p>\n

Why the deal collapsed<\/p>\n

The White House was attempting to negotiate an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, with Trump demanding that Zelensky cease strikes on Russian oil refineries to stop diesel prices from rising.<\/p>\n

The \u201cenergy ceasefire\u201d that neither country agreed to collapsed on Thursday night after Moscow sent a record swarm of drones to attack infrastructure in central Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Kyiv also appeared to resume strikes on Russian oil refineries.<\/p>\n

Zelensky said on Wednesday that attacks would continue after a brief pause, adding: \u201cThe block is out. We\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\nA \u2018speed limit on Ukraine\u2019s military\u2019\n<\/p>\n

Also contributing to fraying relations is SpaceX\u2019s decision to impose a new \u201cspeed limit\u201d on Ukraine\u2019s access to \u201cStarshield\u201d \u2013 a vital service used to intercept incoming Russian attacks.<\/p>\n

\"WASHINGTON,Caption: WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 SEPTEMBER 29: Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk attends a press briefing held by U.S. President Donald Trump with AI executives following a meeting on artificial intelligence, outside the West Wing of the White House on September 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. The meeting comes as some have called for a slowdown in AI development amid rising safety concerns. (Photo by Finn Gomez\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Finn Gomez
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images North America<\/p>\n

Zelensky said \u201cIt\u2019s a big mistake. People will die.\u201d He also suggested that owner of SpaceX, Elon Musk, may have been \u201cpushed\u201d to impose the restriction \u2013 and Musk publicly sheeted the blame directly to Trump.<\/p>\n

\nBreakdown in US-Ukraine intelligence sharing\n<\/p>\n

Zelensky has highlighted another issue hampering Ukraine\u2019s defence: the US has stopped reliably sharing intelligence of incoming\u00a0attacks. He said that Kyiv was hit by ballistic missiles on Monday and they received no warning from the US.<\/p>\n

\"TheCaption: The aftermath of a Russian missile strike on a nine-story residential building is seen in Kyiv\u2019s Desnianskyi district, Ukraine, on October 14, 2026. Russia launched a massive ballistic missile attack on the capital. Three women were killed and 19 people were injured in the Desnianskyi district, including a seven-year-old girl. Apartments on the first through eighth floors of the building were also damaged (Photo by Danylo Antoniuk\/Ukrinform) (Photo credit should read Danylo Antoniuk\/ Ukrinform\/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Photographer: Future Publishing
Provider: Future Publishing via Getty Imag
Source: Future Publishing<\/p>\n

\"WASHINGTON,Caption: WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 OCTOBER 10: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as he departs the White House on the South Lawn on October 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump is traveling to Clarksville, Tennessee to headline a rally in support of local Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Aaron Schwartz
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images North America
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n

US officials reportedly told their Ukrainian counterparts that this was due to \u201cbad weather,\u201d but Ukraine is sceptical. Trump said Washington is still sharing intelligence with Kyiv.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

world<\/p>\n

The sea that\u2019s becoming crucial to Putin\u2019s hybrid war<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Olly Haynes<\/p>\n

Foreign news reporter<\/p>\n

The Black Sea is fast becoming a central front in\u00a0Vladimir Putin\u2019s\u00a0escalating campaigns to make Ukraine unlivable and deter European allies from supporting it.<\/p>\n

Temperatures to rise above 20\u00b0C before autumn chill arrives \u2013 here\u2019s where<\/p>\n

Temperatures for parts of the UK could reach as high as 23\u00b0C on Thursday as the unusually warn autumnal weather continues. <\/p>\n

\"ThisCaption: This is a photo in a forest on the outskirts of Luxembourg. It was shot in late autumn with all the leaves having a beautiful yellow color.
Photographer: George Pachantouris
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n

Warmer weather than expected<\/p>\n

Afternoon highs in areas of eastern England are expected to be about 5-8\u00b0C above the norm for mid-October temperatures.<\/p>\n

However, it will be colder further north and west, with temperatures in much of Scotland and Northern Ireland expected to sit around the seasonal average between 10-16\u00b0C. <\/p>\n

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\nWhat can be expected for the rest of the week?\n<\/p>\n

Some sunny spells will break through near the end of the week, with a few showers also possible in the north and west on Friday, moving to the south-east over the weekend.<\/p>\n

\"WinterCaption: Winter sunshine during November creating a high contrast view of crowds on Buchanan Street in central Glasgow, Scotland.
Photographer: georgeclerk
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto<\/p>\n

Temperatures will drop to near the October average of 10-16\u00b0C and single-digit lows can be expected at night, with thermometers dropping below freezing in some parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.<\/p>\n

Watch more from The i Paper<\/p>\n

\"RearrangingThe Government has already warned households to stockpile emergency items in the face of multiple threats to food stocks, from climate change to cyber attacks (Photo: Filippo Bacci\/Getty)<\/p>\n

Opinion<\/p>\n

Everyone is talking about stockpiling. This is what I\u2019m actually buying<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Tom Bawden<\/p>\n

Freelance science and environment writer<\/p>\n

With the strongest planet-heating El Ni\u00f1o weather pattern in living memory expected to devastate harvests this winter \u2013 pushing sky-high food prices even higher next year \u2013 I\u2019m preparing to go on a tin buying spree.<\/p>\n

Three things to know as US weighs using \u2018mother of all bombs\u2019 on Iran<\/p>\n

The US military has developed plans that could involve using the \u201cmother of all bombs\u201d on Iranian targets if Donald Trump decides to resume strikes, CNN has reported.<\/p>\n

\"AlCaption: Al Weimorts, creator of the GU43\/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, known colloquially as the Mother of All Bombs or MOAB, with Joseph Fellenz (left), lead model maker, looking over the prototype of the bomb before it was painted and tested, 2008. Image courtesy US DoD. (Photo via Smith Collection\/Gado\/Getty Images).
Photographer: Smith Collection\/Gado
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Archive Photos<\/p>\n

\nWhat is the Moab?\n<\/p>\n

The GBU-43\/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb \u2013 nicknamed the mother of all bombs or Moab \u2013 is the biggest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal. It was developed during the Iraq War and is designed to explode before hitting the ground to project a massive explosion from all sides.<\/p>\n

\"NANGARHAR,Caption: NANGARHAR, AFGHANISTAN \u2013 APRIL 15: Debris of a collapsed building is seen in the Acin district after The US military dropped America\u2019s most powerful non-nuclear bomb on Daesh targets in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on April 16, 2017. A GBU-43\/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), also known as the \u201cmother of all bombs,\u201d was dropped on Thursday. (Photo by Zabihullah Ghazi\/Anadolu Agency\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Anadolu<\/p>\n

\"ELGINCaption: ELGIN AIR FORCE BASE, FL \u2013 NOVEMBER 21: In this U.S. Air Force handout, a GBU-43\/B bomb, or Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, is launched November 21, 2003 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. MOAB is a 21,700-pound that was droped from a plane at 20, 000 feet. (Photo by USAF via Getty Images)
Photographer: U.S. Air Force
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images North America<\/p>\n

Military officials at the time said they hoped it would rattle Saddam\u2019s troops and persuade them into talks. It was made for use on large groups of enemies, hardened above-ground bunkers, and later approved for targets under softer surfaces like caves.<\/p>\n

Would the bomb be effective?<\/p>\n

The bomb has been suggested for use on energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, but there are questions over how effective it would be.<\/p>\n

Nuclear targets include Pickaxe Mountain, and while the Moab can eviscerate an area equivalent to nine city blocks, there are doubts if it would be able to penetrate deep enough to destroy the nuclear facility.<\/p>\n

The bomb could also cause a large number of civilian casualties, though sources told CNN that Trump could choose to use it as a psychological weapon against the Islamic Republic.<\/p>\n

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\nTrump running out of options\n<\/p>\n

Trump has said he would not launch fresh attacks on Iran before the midterm elections on 3 November, with the conflict proving increasingly unpopular among Americans.<\/p>\n

\"PresidentDonald Trump insisted that the \u2018great announcement\u2019 on Russian energy would help lower diesel costs quickly (Photo: AP)<\/p>\n

Despite boasts of success from Trump, the war has sent oil prices surging with diesel reaching $6.28 a gallon this month. Rising fuel prices have sparked concerns Republicans could suffer badly in the midterms.<\/p>\n

\"ArmedArmed police officers on a road outside RAF Fairford, after police declared a major incident at the base last month (Photo: Toby Shepheard\/Reuters)<\/p>\n

world<\/p>\n

How Trump\u2019s war drove up terror threat to UK from Iran\u2019s shadowy military force<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Nick Miller<\/p>\n

Author, historian and senior fellow at LSE Ideas<\/p>\n

Andy Burnham has firmly pointed the finger at Iran and in particular, he accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of being behind the incident at RAF Fairford.<\/p>\n

EX-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson sentenced to 15 years \u2013 what you need to know<\/p>\n

Former Democratic Unionist Party leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for child sex abuse and rape.<\/p>\n

\"EDITORSThe trial of former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been played a police interview with one of his two alleged victims, recorded prior to his arrest (Photo: Brian Lawless\/PA)<\/p>\n

What you need to know <\/p>\n

The former DUP leader, who was an MP for 27 years until 2024, was convicted of 18 counts of sex abuse earlier this year, which he committed against two women when they were children. <\/p>\n

Complainant A said Donaldson had touched her breasts and kissed her, and in one incident, had used a light to examine her crotch. <\/p>\n

Complainant A said Donaldson\u2019s wife, Eleanor, had witnessed an incident where he touched her under her clothing but did not intervene. <\/p>\n

Donaldson was found guilty of eight offences between 1999 and 2008. <\/p>\n

Eleanor Donaldson was found to have aided and abetted his crimes after a trial of the facts but cannot be given a prison sentence on mental health grounds. <\/p>\n

The second victim <\/p>\n

Complainant B is the elder of the two women who was abused by Donaldson.<\/p>\n

Complainant B described an incident where Donaldson \u201clifted her top up and her bra and started to touch her exposed breasts\u201d. <\/p>\n

She added that Donaldson would frequently put his hand down her underwear.<\/p>\n

Complainant B also said Eleanor Donaldson had witnessed an incident where her husband had \u201cplayed\u201d with her breasts. <\/p>\n

The offences were committed between 1985 and 1991.<\/p>\n

\nVictim\u2019s statements\n<\/p>\n

Victim A said the abuse had conditioned her experiences in adult life. She said she still suffers debilitating nightmares and has been medicated since her twenties.<\/p>\n

\"(FILECaption: (FILE PHOTO) Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson sentenced to 15 years in prison for child sexual abuse on October 15,2026 NEWRY, NORTHERN IRELAND \u2013 JUNE 19: Former DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson leaves Newry court house after the Judge sent the jury home for the weekend requesting them to return on Monday on June 19, 2026 in Newry, Northern Ireland. The former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader is facing 18 charges of rape, indecent assault, and gross indecency, involving two alleged victims between 1985 and 2008. A judge ordered a simultaneous trial of facts for his wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, who has been accused of five counts related to aiding and abetting her husband\u2019s charges. She is has been deemed unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds. (Photo by Charles McQuillan\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Charles McQuillan
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe<\/p>\n

\"(FILECaption: (FILE PHOTO) Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson sentenced to 15 years in prison for child sexual abuse on October 15,2026 NEWRY, NORTHERN IRELAND \u2013 SEPTEMBER 10: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at Newry Courthouse in Newry on September 10, 2024 in Newry, Northern Ireland. Jeffery Donaldson faces 18 charges ??? one count of rape, four of gross indecency with or towards a child and 13 of indecent assault on a female between 1985 and 2008. Mrs Donaldson faces five charges ??? abetting rape, cruelty to a person under 16 years old, and three counts of aiding and abetting indecent assault between 1987 and 2008. (Photo by Charles McQuillan\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Charles McQuillan
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe<\/p>\n

Victim B said the abuse has affected every relationship she has ever had. <\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what it is like not to be afraid at night,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

news<\/p>\n

Why Sally Rooney\u2019s books are being pulled from the UK<\/p>\n

\"EDINBURGH,Sally Rooney has pledged to use her TV royalties to fund proscribed group Palestine Action (Photo: Simone Padovani\/Getty)<\/p>\n

Irish author Sally Rooney has said her books will no longer be on sale in the UK due to legal complications from her support for Palestine Action, a proscribed terrorist organisation.<\/p>\n

A \u2018serious criminal offence\u2019<\/p>\n

Rooney, who is the author of books such as Normal People, previously pledged to donate sale proceeds to Palestine Action.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIn July 2025, the direct-action protest group Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. The following month, I wrote an opinion piece expressing my intention to go on supporting Palestine Action.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group is not proscribed in Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result, the fulfilment of contracts to publish my work in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offence [\u2026] Faber has therefore determined that it can no longer supply my work within the UK,\u201d Rooney added.<\/p>\n

From 5 July last year, support for Palestine Action can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years.<\/p>\n

The group has challenged the ban in the Supreme Court. The appeal is yet to be heard. <\/p>\n

\nCan you still get her books?\n<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Ronney\u2019s publisher Faber & Faber announced it would be halting sales in the UK, and her titles appear to have been pulled from sale as ebooks and audiobooks. Booksellers can continue to sell her books until they run out, after which they will not be restocked.<\/p>\n

\"InteriorCaption: Interior of a modern library with long aisle between bookshelves filled with books. Education, knowledge, research, learning, academic study and information access concept. Quiet public library environment with clean architecture and perspective lines.
Photographer: Olena Malik
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n

The BBC also has TV adaptations of some of her work, and it is not clear whether this will be affected. Rooney has said previously that any fees generated by their availability could be problematic.<\/p>\n

Watch more from The i Paper<\/p>\n

@theipaper<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cI have never been so annoyed on behalf of young people,\u201d says The i Paper\u2019s Housing and Society Correspondent Vicky Spratt. Last week, the Fonagy review of NHS England\u2019s mental health, ADHD and autism services was released, revealing that without a radical overhaul, these mental health and neurodiversity services will be overwhelmed. \u201cBut this report points to lots of things, that were honestly completely avoidable and predictable,\u201d Spratt adds. Read the full article at the link. #news<\/a> #mentalhealth<\/a> #politics<\/a> #UK<\/a> #employment<\/a><\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 The i Paper \u2013 The i Paper<\/a> <\/p>\n

Reform councillors revealed making racist and sexist remarks<\/p>\n

Reform UK candidates and councillors have been revealed using racist, violent and sexist language, an ITV News expos\u00e9 has found.<\/p>\n

\"BIRMINGHAM,Caption: BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM \u2013 SEPTEMBER 4: Attendees take part in Reform UK\u2019s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on September 4, 2026. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim\/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images
Source: Anadolu<\/p>\n

What did Reform councillors say?<\/p>\n

In the film, Undercover: A Year in Reform, Reform councillor in Solihull, Alan Feeney, was recorded saying the area has been \u201cinfested\u201d with Asian families, and called them \u201cabsolute parasites\u201d.<\/p>\n

ITV reported Feeney had \u201cmutually agreed\u201d to resign from Reform, citing \u201cpersonal reasons\u201d, and would be continuing as an independent councillor.<\/p>\n

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Further allegations <\/p>\n

Alongside Feeney, fellow Solihull councillor Chris Whelan was recorded using sexist and Islamophobic language.<\/p>\n

Speaking about a female Reform candidate, Whelan said: \u201cIf she was my daughter, it would still be bath night on a Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whelan has resigned from Reform citing health and personal reasons.<\/p>\n

Dean Miller, another Reform councillor, representing Bromley in south London, was recorded calling black children \u201canimals\u201d while campaigning for the party in the Makerfield by-election.<\/p>\n

He told ITV he had been heavily medicated and no longer represented the party.<\/p>\n

\nWhat has been Reform\u2019s response?\n<\/p>\n

Reform has said \u201cthere is no room for racism\u201d in the party. A party spokesman said \u201cinvestigations have commenced\u201d and there have been some suspensions. Reform added that it had improved its vetting but that \u201ca handful of individuals who do not share our values will initially make it through\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"DONCASTER,Promising the earth without any real power is a very easy way to grandstand, but when Reform did win big in the local elections it has already started to unravel (Photo: Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Nigel Farage has repeatedly said he wants to rid the party of \u201cbad apples\u201d and has previously insisted he didn\u2019t want Reform to be \u201ca sectarian or racially based party in any way at all\u201d.<\/p>\n

\nHow have other parties reacted?\n<\/p>\n

Labour has described the revelations as \u201ctruly sickening\u201d, adding: \u201cNigel Farage can\u2019t shrug these latest revelations off as being a few bad apples.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND \u2013 SEPTEMBER 11: Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch speaks to the media after visiting the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum on September 11, 2026 in London, England. Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch and Shadow Culture Secretary Rebecca Paul are viewing the Bayeux Tapestry while it\u2019s on loan to the British Museum from France through July 2027. The 70-metre-long embroidery was made in the 11th century and depicts the story of the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde\/Getty Images)
Photographer: Alishia Abodunde
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,\u2018Andy Burnham is a savvy operator in the old media as much as the new,\u2019 writes Adam Boulton (Photo: Jonathan Brady\/WPA\/Getty)<\/p>\n

The Conservative Party said: \u201cNigel Farage promised to make Reform ready for government. These sorry individuals are proof he has failed.\u201d<\/p>\n

How one in six on disability benefits \u2018do not face extra costs\u2019<\/p>\n

Around one in six working age people who receive disability benefit do not incur extra costs because of their conditions, a new report has found.<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Protesters during a demonstration against benefit cuts in Westminster last year (Photo: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

What PIP is meant to do<\/p>\n

The personal independence payment (PIP) is a disability benefit designed to help cover extra living costs from long-term physical or mental health conditions. <\/p>\n

However, the Resolution Foundation think-tank said its research suggested 16 per cent of those on PIP reported no additional costs due to their condition.<\/p>\n

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\nA saving of \u00a34.4bn\n<\/p>\n

The think-tank said a redesigned system could remove 12 per cent of claimants by 2029-30 and switch payments for a further 4 per cent to improved non-financial support. <\/p>\n

Combined, the report claimed the measures could save \u00a34.4bn by targeting those whose conditions increase their outgoings.<\/p>\n

\"Close-upCaption: Close-up on digital tablet on desk top. (Mock-up.)
Photographer: John_Lamb
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto<\/p>\n

A change of this nature would affect younger PIP claimants particularly, with 21 per cent of those in the 16- 24 years caseload reporting no additional costs and little limitation from their disability.<\/p>\n

\"RedCaption: Red stair chair lift for people with disability
Photographer: South_agency
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto<\/p>\n

news<\/p>\n

Other suggestions for reform<\/p>\n

The think-tank also suggested one-off payments could be more effective for people who reported a particular cost such as a mobility aid.<\/p>\n

It also recommended that claimants should be asked more specifically about their extra costs and needs and be subject to more frequent but \u201clower stakes check-ins.\u201d<\/p>\n

How many people are on PIP?<\/p>\n

Official data shows 4.09 million people were entitled to claim PIP as of 31 July, 2026.<\/p>\n

This is an increase of 7 per cent from last year<\/p>\n

The number of claimants has roughly doubled since comparable figures began in January 2019<\/p>\n

Up to \u00a316.3bn was spent on PIP in 2019-20 when adjusted for inflation, which increased to \u00a327.3bn in 2024-25 according to Department for Work and Pensions statistics<\/p>\n

It is currently predicted to rise to \u00a341.5bn by 2030-31<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

politics<\/p>\n

The key benefit cuts that look likely after Burnham hints at shake-up<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Eleanor Langford<\/p>\n

Political Reporter<\/p>\n

Two reviews due this autumn will shape what comes next for universal credit and personal independence payments.<\/p>\n

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Experts have told The i Paper that there are several workarounds which could be used. However, it is worth briefly revisiting why the Government is having to do this in the first place.<\/p>\n

The state pension tax trap<\/p>\n

Because of the\u00a0triple lock \u2013 under which the state pension increases each year in line with the highest of inflation, earnings or 2.5 per cent \u2013 the state\u00a0pension is set to climb to \u00a313,036.40 in April.<\/p>\n

This will mean that for the first time it will exceed the income tax personal allowance, which stands at \u00a312,570.<\/p>\n

If no change occurred, a retiree whose sole income is the state pension would have to pay income tax of about \u00a393.<\/p>\n

However, in last year\u2019s Budget, former chancellor Rachel Reeves said that income tax would not be levied on people in this position \u2013 a commitment which Burnham\u2019s Government decided to stick to<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In terms of how the commitment could be delivered, there are several options at Healey\u2019s disposal.<\/p>\n

Raising the personal allowance for everyone<\/p>\n

In some ways the most straightforward approach would be to increase the personal allowance for everyone. Lifting the allowance to \u00a313,036.40 would ensure that low-income pensioners would be exempted. However, it would represent an across-the-board tax cut which would be hugely expensive for the Treasury.<\/p>\n

Recent chancellors have frozen the personal allowance and other income tax thresholds precisely because it is a highly effective way of raising huge amounts of revenue without the bad headlines of a tax rise.<\/p>\n

Rishi Sunak first announced in March 2021 that inflation uprating of income tax thresholds would be suspended and the allowance frozen at its April 2021 level of \u00a312,570, with his successors Jeremy Hunt and Reeves continuing the freeze. The latter made a decision to freeze the personal allowance until April 2031.<\/p>\n

Likelihood rating (out of 5): 0, for now<\/p>\n

While Burnham has previously spoken of his desire to raise the allowance<\/a>, Britain\u2019s straitened financial circumstances and the Government\u2019s commitment to stick to its fiscal rules mean that this is not currently realistic. For this reason, there will be no announcement on 28 October that the personal allowance will be uprated in line with the state pension.<\/p>\n

Robert Salter of tax specialists Blick Rothenberg told The i Paper: \u201cThe Government could increase the personal tax allowance for all taxpayers rather than purely for pensioners. However, whilst this option would in many respects be \u2018fairer\u2019, given that an increase in the personal tax allowance for all taxpayers from \u00a312,570 to say \u00a314,000 per annum would cost the Government perhaps \u00a312bn, this is not a practical option for the Government at this stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, with Burnham on record as wanting to raise the allowance and scrap the triple lock, it is more than possible that this will be the long-term solution after 2031.<\/p>\n

Self-assessment<\/p>\n

A slightly more credible option would be to require pensioners solely dependent on the state pension to file self-assessment tax returns. However, Reeves ruled this out when she was chancellor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not going to make you fill in a tax return,\u201d she said last November. Blick Rothenberg said that requiring pensioners in this situation to file tax returns would be \u201cdisproportionate given the levels of income involved\u201d and that \u201cHMRC simply do not have the resources to manage the additional Self-Assessment records\u201d.<\/p>\n

Likelihood rating: 0. In addition to the above problems, making elderly people fill in complex online tax returns would be deeply unpopular.<\/p>\n

An age-related personal allowance<\/p>\n

Blick Rothenberg have said that the commitment could be delivered instead via the \u201cstraightforward change\u201d of re-introducing an \u201cage-related personal allowance\u201d. Before 2013-14, individuals were entitled to claim one of two age-related additions to the personal allowance if they were 65 years of age or older. However, former chancellor George Osborne phased these out during the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government.<\/p>\n

Salter said: \u201cThe Government could introduce an enhanced personal tax allowance specifically for pensioners (and pensioners have historically been eligible for a higher personal allowance than regular taxpayers).<\/p>\n

However, he said the downside of this option would be that it could mean that wealthier pensioners \u2013 such as those with large private pension pots \u2013 \u201cmight be benefiting from the enhanced tax allowance\u201d, meaning it would be \u201cmore expensive for the Government\u201d.<\/p>\n

Likelihood rating: 3. This would be the cleanest long-term option, although it would mean the Treasury having to stomach wealthier pensioners not paying as much tax. A workaround to this would be to include a taper so that tax was paid on an incremental scale as income increased.<\/p>\n

Not collecting the tax<\/p>\n

The final option \u2013 and perhaps the most likely \u2013 would be for the Government to \u201copt out\u201d of collecting the tax from relevant pensioners.<\/p>\n

Normally, HM Revenue and Customs collects small tax sums via a process called \u201cSimple Assessment\u201d, in which it carries out the relevant calculations itself and sends someone a tax demand at the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Sir Steve Webb, a former pensions minister who is\u00a0now a partner at the pensions firm LCP, told The i Paper last month that the Government could \u201csimply block the letters\u201d from being sent to pensioners owing the \u00a393 in tax which would otherwise be due.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a relatively simple message to say that any pensioner owing under \u00a3100 simply won\u2019t get a tax demand,\u201d he said. \u201cOf course, next year it will be more than that, and the following year more still.\u201d<\/p>\n

Salter said: \u201cThe Government could simply \u2018opt out\u2019 of collecting the tax on state pensions for \u2018qualifying cases\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was Ms Reeves\u2019 apparent preference when she was Chancellor, albeit her proposals in this regard would appear to have been quite limited and could have meant that a number of poor pensioners would still have been caught by a tax charge on their pension (e.g. if they also had very limited amounts of bank interest on top of their basic or new state pension).\u201d<\/p>\n

Likelihood rating: 4. A simple option. But may not be tenable in the long term as pensions increase.<\/p>\n

Ensuring fairness<\/p>\n

Whatever happens, charities for older people are urging the Government to tread carefully. Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, told The i Paper: \u201cThe state pension rising above the tax threshold has the potential to cause a lot of headaches, both for politicians and for the individuals affected.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough the tax system is rarely perceived as \u2018fair\u2019 by anyone, this will affect pensioners on low incomes and it\u2019s important we don\u2019t put them at a particular disadvantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cWe need to make sure the system works for everyone and treats people of all ages fairly. Tax thresholds have been frozen since 2021 and are expected to remain so until at least 2031. This issue will continue to grow, affecting more and more pensioners, and while there\u2019s no easy solution, we believe that the best and fairest way forward is to change policy and raise the income tax threshold for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pensions minister Torsten Bell said: \u201cIn line with the commitment made at Budget 2025, pensioners who only just exceed the personal allowance will not have the administrative burden of paying small amounts of tax in this Parliament. The Chancellor will set out further details on how that commitment will be delivered at the Budget.\u201d<\/p>\n

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