A petition calling on the Treasury to give pensioners a higher tax-free earnings limit has forced a Commons debate after drawing more than 116,000 signatures.
Campaigners want pensioners to benefit from a £25,140 threshold before income tax applies — double the current personal allowance of £12,570.
The petition secured enough support to trigger a parliamentary discussion, but a date for the debate has not yet been set, more than six weeks after the milestone was reached.
The push comes amid concerns that the state pension, boosted annually by the triple lock, could exceed the personal allowance by 2027.
That would mean many pensioners who previously paid no tax may begin to face liabilities.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has indicated the government will prevent those dependent solely on the full new state pension from having to pay small amounts of tax or complete tax returns.
The Treasury says it will outline a detailed approach in 2026 and aims to remove administrative burdens from 2027-28 if the pension surpasses the allowance.
Petition organiser Timothy Hugh Mason says a separate tax code or higher allowance would protect pensioners who top up the state pension with modest private or workplace pensions, while wealthier retirees would still contribute tax.
The Chancellor’s Budget froze income tax thresholds until 2031 as part of measures that raised around £26 billion, a package that included limits on salary sacrifice arrangements and a higher council tax surcharge on very expensive properties.
The Treasury has rejected the idea of simply doubling the personal allowance for all pensioners, arguing such a move would be expensive and benefit higher-income retirees disproportionately.
Officials also noted the UK’s personal allowance is already comparatively generous among G7 countries.
The government emphasises its commitment to the triple lock and says the uprating planned for next April will increase the basic and new State Pension, boosting average annual incomes for many pensioners.
MPs and Treasury ministers will now be expected to explain their position when the Commons debate is scheduled, increasing pressure on ministers to set out how they will protect lower-income pensioners from future tax changes.
