SIPP Guide 2025/26: How £60,000 of Annual Tax Relief and Zero Lifetime Cap Changes Retirement Investing

A SIPP is a type of personal pension that gives you full control over your investment choices. It works like a tax-advantaged wrapper — money goes in, receives tax relief from HMRC, grows free of income and capital gains tax, and can be accessed from age 55 (rising to 57 from April 2028 under rules set by the FCA and detailed on MoneyHelper).

The mechanics are straightforward. You contribute money into the SIPP, and HMRC automatically adds basic-rate tax relief at 20%, as set out by HMRC. So a £100 contribution only costs a basic-rate taxpayer £80 — the other £20 comes from the government. Higher-rate (40%) and additional-rate (45%) taxpayers can claim back the extra relief through their self-assessment tax return, effectively reducing the net cost of a £100 pension contribution to £60 or £55 respectively.

Once inside the SIPP, your money can be invested in a wide range of assets. Most SIPP providers offer access to UK and international shares listed on major exchanges, thousands of funds and ETFs from providers like Vanguard, iShares and Fidelity, investment trusts, government and corporate bonds (including UK gilts currently yielding around 4.45%), and in some cases commercial property. The key distinction from a workplace pension is choice — you are not limited to a handful of pre-selected funds.

For more details, see our guide on pension tax relief.

The tax rules governing SIPPs are generous but come with important limits that every investor should understand. For the 2025/26 tax year, the key figures are:

The annual allowance is £60,000, as confirmed by GOV.UK. This is the maximum you can contribute to all your pensions combined (including employer contributions) and still receive tax relief. You can carry forward unused allowance from the previous three tax years if you were a member of a pension scheme during those years — potentially allowing contributions of up to £180,000 or more in a single year.

The money purchase annual allowance (MPAA) is £10,000. This reduced limit applies if you have already started flexibly accessing your pension (for example, through drawdown). It only affects money purchase contributions — defined benefit pension accrual is unaffected.

The lifetime allowance was abolished from 6 April 2024. Previously capped at £1,073,100, there is now no upper limit on how much you can hold in pensions. However, the lump sum allowance of £268,275 caps the maximum tax-free cash you can take (25% of your pot, up to this limit). The lump sum and death benefit allowance is set at £1,073,100.

For high earners, the tapered annual allowance reduces the £60,000 limit by £1 for every £2 of adjusted income above £260,000, down to a minimum of £10,000. This means anyone with adjusted income above £360,000 has their annual allowance reduced to just £10,000. For more details, see our guide on pension drawdown.

The investment universe available through a SIPP is far broader than most workplace pensions. The exact range depends on your provider, but typically includes:

UK and international equities — Individual shares listed on the London Stock Exchange (including FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and AIM), plus major international exchanges like the NYSE, NASDAQ and European markets. This allows you to build a portfolio tailored to your risk tolerance, whether that means blue-chip dividend stocks, growth companies, or smaller companies with higher potential returns.

Funds and ETFs — Access to thousands of open-ended investment companies (OEICs), unit trusts and exchange-traded funds. Popular choices include global index trackers (such as Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap), UK equity income funds, and multi-asset funds for those wanting a simpler approach. Many SIPP providers offer commission-free fund dealing.

Bonds and gilts — UK government gilts (currently yielding approximately 4.45% for 10-year maturities), corporate bonds and bond funds. With gilt yields remaining elevated compared to the near-zero levels of 2020-2021, fixed income has become a more meaningful component of retirement portfolios, particularly for those approaching drawdown.

Investment trusts — Listed closed-ended funds covering everything from UK commercial property (such as British Land or Land Securities) to private equity, infrastructure and renewable energy. Investment trusts can trade at discounts to their net asset value, offering potential value opportunities.

Cash — Most SIPPs allow you to hold cash, though interest rates on SIPP cash balances are typically lower than the best savings accounts. Cash can be useful as a tactical holding while you decide where to invest, but holding too much in cash long-term erodes the growth advantage of pension investing. For more details, see our guide on workplace pensions.

SIPP fees vary significantly between providers and can make a meaningful difference to your retirement pot over decades of investing. The main charges to compare are:

Platform fees — An annual charge for holding your investments, usually expressed as a percentage of your portfolio value. These typically range from 0.15% to 0.45% per year. On a £100,000 portfolio, the difference between 0.15% (£150/year) and 0.45% (£450/year) is £300 annually — compounded over 20 years, that adds up to thousands of pounds in lost growth.

Dealing charges — Fees for buying and selling individual shares and investment trusts. These range from free (for funds) to around £5-£12 per trade for shares. If you trade frequently, dealing charges matter; if you buy and hold index funds, they may be irrelevant.

Fund ongoing charges (OCF) — These are charged by the fund manager, not the platform. A global index tracker might charge 0.10-0.25% per year, while an actively managed fund could charge 0.75-1.50%. Choosing low-cost index funds is one of the most reliable ways to improve long-term returns.

Transfer and exit fees — Some older SIPP providers charge for transferring out. Most modern platforms have eliminated exit fees, but always check before opening an account. Transferring a SIPP between providers does not trigger a tax event — your investments can usually be moved 'in specie' (without selling them).

The chart above illustrates how even small fee differences compound dramatically over time. Choosing a platform with a 0.15% fee rather than 0.45% could leave you over £15,000 better off on a £100,000 portfolio over 20 years. For more details, see our guide on ISA vs pension.

Since the pension freedoms introduced in April 2015, SIPP holders have had far more flexibility in how they access their retirement savings. You can start drawing from your SIPP from age 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028). There is no requirement to buy an annuity — though you still can if you want secure income.

The main options for accessing your SIPP are:

Tax-free lump sum — You can take up to 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free lump sum, subject to the lump sum allowance of £268,275. On a £500,000 SIPP, that means £125,000 tax-free. On a £1,073,100 or larger pot, the tax-free element is capped at £268,275.

Flexi-access drawdown — Leave your pot invested and draw an income as needed. You control how much you take and when. Withdrawals above the 25% tax-free element are taxed as income at your marginal rate. This approach keeps your money invested and potentially growing, but requires careful planning to avoid running out. Note that once you access your SIPP flexibly, the money purchase annual allowance of £10,000 applies to future contributions.

Annuity purchase — Exchange some or all of your pot for a secure income for life from an insurance company. Annuity rates have improved significantly alongside rising gilt yields and interest rates. A 65-year-old with a £100,000 pot can now secure a higher annual income than at any point in the past decade.

Uncrystallised funds pension lump sum (UFPLS) — Take lump sums directly from your uncrystallised pot. Each withdrawal is 25% tax-free and 75% taxable. This is simpler than drawdown but less flexible for ongoing income planning.

SIPPs also offer significant inheritance advantages. If you die before age 75, your SIPP can be passed to beneficiaries completely tax-free. If you die after 75, beneficiaries pay income tax on withdrawals at their marginal rate. This makes SIPPs potentially more tax-efficient for inheritance than ISAs.

For most employees, the answer is yes — but it depends on your circumstances. A workplace pension is essential because it comes with employer contributions (minimum 3% of qualifying earnings under auto-enrolment). Walking away from employer matching is walking away from free money.

A SIPP complements a workplace pension in several ways. If you have maxed out the investment options in your workplace scheme and want more control, a SIPP gives you access to the full investment universe. If you are self-employed, a SIPP is typically your only option for pension saving with tax relief. If you have multiple old workplace pensions from previous jobs, consolidating them into a single SIPP simplifies your finances and may reduce fees.

The optimal strategy for many people is to contribute enough to the workplace pension to capture the full employer match, then direct additional savings into a SIPP where you have more investment choice and potentially lower fees. Your combined contributions across all pension schemes share the same £60,000 annual allowance.

Before transferring a workplace pension to a SIPP, check whether you would lose any valuable benefits — such as guaranteed annuity rates, employer contributions, or death-in-service benefits. Defined benefit (final salary) pensions should almost never be transferred without independent financial advice, as the guaranteed benefits they provide are extremely difficult to replicate.

*For more on all pension types, see our pensions hub.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute regulated financial advice. Pension decisions can have significant long-term consequences. Consider consulting a qualified independent financial adviser before making changes to your pension arrangements.