Investors earning above £150,000 will hear in today’s Pre Budget Report (PBR) how the Treasury plans to implement the tax relief restrictions on pension contributions outlined in April’s budget.

As it stands, higher rate income tax relief will be restricted for contributions to UK registered pension schemes and overseas pension schemes qualifying under UK rules from April 2011. 

Current plans are that higher rate relief will be tapered down for those incomes starting at £150,000 from 50 per cent, down to 20 per cent for those with incomes of £180,000 or over.

However, Andy Tully, pensions policy manager at Standard Life, said that the Treasury may yet reduce the starting bracket or bring the implementation date forward from 2011 to this coming April.

He explained: “[The government] pre-announced it in the last Budget but didn’t give the details.  They have two choices, i) To bring implementation forward to 2010 or ii) They could increase it and maybe bring that limit down, to say £100,000.

“Pension tax relief is no longer sacred and once the door is opened, it is easy to push it open a bit more.  We wouldn’t want them to do anything like reducing the limit as it wouldn’t encourage more saving.”

Tully said that there is a risk of the government seeking a short term gain with longer term consequences, but noted that it is wrong to assume that these changes will only affect high earners.

He added: “The view is that it will only affect high earners, but it is senior executives decide the shape of pensions for everyone else. “

The government has previous stipulated that employees will not be able to arrange a salary sacrifice scheme, where an employer will be able to contribute to a defined benefit scheme  to get around the new rules .

Full live coverage of today’s pre Budget report will begin on www.WhatInvestment.co.uk from midday today.