Life could be about to get easier for the retired. The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) will turn its attention to pensioners in an attempt to unravel a raft of complicated tax laws relating to them.

The OTS, set up by Chancellor George Osborne in 2010, will draw up a list of proposals in time for next year’s Budget aimed at easing the plight of more than 5 million pensioners who struggle to deal with their tax affairs. In particular, it is keen to address the tax problems faced by those who draw a low income from multiple sources.

In a letter to the Treasury, the Rt Hon Michael Jack, Chairman of the Office of Tax Simplification, said: ‘For the estimated 5.6 million people of pensionable age paying tax, this area is widely acknowledged as causing too many problems for a group, some of whom are the least able to cope with them.’

He added: ‘The OTS will be looking for ways in which pensioners’ tax affairs can be dealt with in a much more straightforward way.’