Unbiased summary
A Freedom of Information request by Sir Steve Webb, former pensions minister and partner at LCP, shows that the number of pensioners paying income tax at 40% or 45% has more than doubled since 2021/22, rising from 494,000 to 1.092 million in 2026/27. This is driven by income tax thresholds that have been frozen since 2021, including the personal allowance at £12,570 and the higher-rate threshold at £50,270, while state pension increases under the triple lock have pushed more retirees into higher bands. The government has said that pensioners whose sole income is the state pension will not pay income tax when payments exceed the allowance. Webb warned that pension savers may need larger retirement pots to cover future tax liabilities.
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Angle
The i Paper takes an explanatory, neutral approach, using the data to educate readers about fiscal drag and tax band mechanics without assigning political blame.
Bias
The i Paper provides a balanced analysis, explaining why the increase occurred and clarifying misconceptions about higher-rate taxation. It does not highlight political responsibility, instead focusing on the systemic effect of frozen thresholds. It includes all key facts and avoids editorialising.
Angle
City AM focuses on the policy mechanics and political blame, explicitly attributing the rise to Labour's extension of the threshold freeze and questioning the fairness of the triple lock.
Bias
City AM zeroes in on Rachel Reeves’ decision to extend the freeze, calling it a 'stealth tax' and contrasting it with Labour's earlier criticism. It omits the government's promise about state pension-only taxpayers and includes a factual error in basic-rate payer figures (6,250 and 8,480 instead of millions). The tone is critical of Labour's fiscal policy.