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Pensions Bill

There is a big ““if”” about whether you could effectively describe the sort of regime that would cover the RIF. The proposition would facilitate the opportunity for someone to take a significant lump sum in one go as income or capital from the RIF. The noble Lord, Lord Fowler, looks askance at that but the RIF, as so defined, would provide it. If someone has enough income from the RIF, the minimum level that they must take, or which has to be set on an ongoing basis, would be zero, and the maximum amount that could be drawn could be very significant indeed. That would provide the opportunity for people to plan to take that in a tax-effective way. You could structure all sorts of anti-avoidance provisions that would greatly add to the tax legislation, for which the Government would doubtless be challenged. You would need that if you are going to make this fair. That is why we do not think that it is the right use of the pensions regime.