Those on the brink of claiming their state pension could be hit with a hefty tax bill due to the personal allowance remaining frozen at £12,570 per annum, while the state pension continues to increase under the triple lock. However, a tax expert has shared a strategy that could help you dodge this tax and potentially boost your pension by hundreds of pounds annually.

This tactic could also be beneficial for those who have already started receiving their pension.

The personal allowance is the income threshold - from employment, pensions, rental income, businesses, investments and side hustles - before tax is applied. But with the state pension now providing an annual income of £11,502, it would only take an additional £1,068 from part-time work, online sales or room rental to push you into the tax bracket.

Your pension could even catapult you into a higher tax band if you have substantial earnings.

Harvey Jones said the freeze on the personal allowance will remain until the 2027/28 tax year. However, there is one tax evasion method that might be suitable for those nearing retirement, reports the Express.

Research from retirement specialist Just Group reveals that a quarter of Britons are unaware that they are not obligated to start drawing their state pension when they turn 66.

Those reaching state pension age now have a choice: claim their due amount immediately or hold off and potentially boost their future payouts significantly. For many, the immediate need for financial support will prompt them to claim their state pension as soon as it's available.

However, those with sufficient alternative incomes might see deferring the state pension as a savvy financial move that could yield noteworthy tax advantages. Forgoing the state pension initially comes with enticing rewards.

Under current regulation, for every nine weeks you delay taking the new state pension, you could see a one per cent increase. That translates to an approximate 5.8 per cent increase for each deferred year.

With today's full new state pension totalling £11,502 a year, a twelve-month deferral could result in an additional sum just shy of £665, a figure that also enjoys the escalating benefits of the triple lock alongside the rest of the state pension.

Just Group's communications director Stephen Lowe pointed out: "It takes at least 15 years to recoup the pension you originally sacrifice. After that, though, you're in profit."

As life expectancy edges upwards, so does the appeal of deferral, particularly for those in good health who are likely to enjoy a longer retirement period. "Deferral therefore suits those who are in better health with higher life expectancy," commented Lowe.

The process of deferring is less complicated than some might fear. Approximately two months prior to your 66th birthday, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will dispatch a letter enquiring whether you want to start receiving your state pension.

If you don't respond, it will be automatically deferred until you decide to claim it. If you've already started claiming your state pension, you can choose to pause it to accumulate more money for the future.

However, this option is only available once.