Pension lump sum raid ruled out by Rachel Reeves amid surge of withdrawals ahead of Budget

Speculation about possible cuts had intensified after the Chancellor declined to rule them out in previous statements, prompting a surge in withdrawals from pension schemes.

The Fabian Society, which is closely aligned with Labour, called for a reducation in the threshold to £100,000, while pensions minister Torsten Bell previously suggested a sharper cut to £40,000.

Treasury sources said the decision to abandon any changes followed growing evidence that retirees were hastily accessing their funds to avoid anticipated tax increases.

Financial data shows that savers withdrew more than £70billion from retirement accounts in 2024/25, marking a 36 per cent increase on the previous year. The outflow of pension assets coincided with speculation that Ms Reeves might impose severe reductions to the tax-free allowance.

Labour-linked think-tanks had proposed cutting the £268,275 ceiling to as little as £100,000, while some figures within the party argued for even tighter limits.

The Chancellor’s reluctance to dismiss such measures before last year’s Budget heightened market anxiety, leading to what industry analysts described as precautionary withdrawals. Retirees accelerated their drawdown plans amid fears that delaying could reduce their tax-free entitlements.

The Treasury’s confirmation ends months of uncertainty that unsettled retirement planning across Britain, with many savers already making irreversible financial decisions.

Instead, the Chancellor plans to restrict National Insurance benefits linked to salary sacrifice pension arrangements, potentially affecting millions of workers.

These schemes allow employees to divert part of their earnings into pension savings before income tax or National Insurance contributions are deducted.

Employers also benefit, as contributions are calculated on remaining salary after pension deductions, lowering their National Insurance costs. Ms Reeves intends to cap the amount eligible for tax-free treatment under these schemes, a move expected to cost typical workers around £210 a year.

The Treasury is also considering a two pence rise in income tax, offset by an equivalent National Insurance reduction for basic-rate taxpayers.

However, higher earners above £50,270 would be excluded from this adjustment, while around nine million pensioners who do not pay National Insurance would face increased tax liabilities.

The reforms aim to raise revenue to address public finance shortfalls estimated at £30billion.

Financial experts welcomed the decision to preserve the tax-free lump sum but warned about the potential impact of limiting salary sacrifice schemes.

Jon Greer, of wealth management firm Quilter, said it was “reassuring” that the Chancellor had ruled out changes to the tax-free pension lump sum.

He added: “The decision to rule it out could arguably have come sooner, given that rumours around possible changes prompted many people to act early for fear of missing out on their tax-free cash in the lead up to this Budget and the last.”

Tom Selby, of wealth management firm AJ Bell, said: “Attacking tax-free cash at the Budget would have been a massive own goal from the Chancellor, raising little money and causing uproar from young and old alike.”

Industry professionals cautioned that restricting National Insurance advantages on workplace pensions could discourage vital retirement saving among British workers.

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