For most retirees, however, that has made little practical difference because the annual State Pension has remained below the Personal Allowance. The Personal Allowance has been frozen at £12,570 until April 2031, while the State Pension continues to increase each year under the triple lock. Ministers insist pensioners whose only income is the full new or basic State Pension currently pay no income tax, because the Personal Allowance remains higher than the annual pension. "This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new state pension or basic state pension without any increments will not pay any income tax." Tax experts have urged ministers to consult on longer-term reforms, including changing how HMRC collects tax or introducing a broader write-off for small pension tax bills.