Are you among the almost 5 million Brits who are self-employed? If the answer is yes, then you are also likely to be one of the two-thirds of self-employed people who aren’t yet saving into a pension. Giles Warren is here to answer some common questions:

Am I entitled to a State Pension if I am self-employed?

Yes, providing you have made National Insurance contributions, you will be entitled to a State Pension. Although there are some setbacks to being self-employed in terms of pensions, one thing you can depend on is your State Pension. Everyone who has worked is entitled to a State Pension, which, as of 2016, is linked entirely to your National Insurance Contributions record and currently (2019/2020) pays out at £168.60 per week. You can find out more about the New State Pension here.

You will receive the full payout if you have 35 years of NI contributions under your belt but will also need to keep these payments up until your pension age.

Will I receive any top-ups?

You can avail yourself of government pension top-ups if you start paying into a pension scheme of your own.

As you may know, employers must now set up workplace pension schemes for their employees. They must also pay into these schemes to help top up payments made by their employees. This is something self-employed people don’t get to benefit from However, the government will pay £25 for every £100 a basic-rate tax-paying self-employed person contributes to their personal pension scheme. Higher rate tax-payers can claim a further £25 for every £100 invested in their future through their tax return.

This contribution is not to be sniffed at and is a major incentive to set up a pension scheme today. The State Pensions is great, but it isn’t necessarily going to keep you in the way you have become accustomed, if you catch my drift. If you want a more comfortable retirement, paying into a personal pension can be the way forward.

Like all pension schemes, the earlier you get saving, the larger your pension pot will have become by retirement.

Are my contributions taxed?

You have a generous personal allowance of up to £40,000 in pension contributions, as of the 2019/2020 tax year, that you can make without paying tax (subject to certain earnings). Any contributions to your pension scheme made in excess of this allowance will be subject to a charge.

If you have had a few really good years of income and you have a surplus, even after you had paid the £40,000 into your pension for the 2019/2020 tax year, then you may wish to consider carrying forward your allowances for the previous three years. This may also reduce the amount of tax you will have to pay.

What type of pension should I choose if I’m self-employed?

There are choices to be made for self-employed people looking to set up a pension. The options include:

· Basic personal pensions

· Self-invested personal pensions

· Stakeholder pensions

· NEST pensions – if you are also an employer.

Each of these pension varieties carries certain charges and have various advantages and disadvantages, depending on your personal circumstances. Basic personal pensions, for example, are easy to come by and most pension providers offer them, and within Self-invested person pensions, you can buy commercial property, amongst other types of investments. Contact us today for guidance on which pensions might work best for you.

The tax treatment is dependent on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in future. The value of units can fall as well as rise, and you may not get back all of your original investment.

A pension is a long term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down. Your eventual income may depend on the size of the fund at retirement, future interest rates and tax legislation.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate taxation advice or some aspects of a workplace pension.