Autumn Statement: 13 crucial changes for 2014 and 2015 Tax year beginning April 2014 The amount individuals can earn before tax rises to £10,000, saving most taxpayers £112 per year. The basic state pension increases by £2.95 per week. Other pension changes, affecting the wealthier end of the pensions spectrum, will also begin to be applied from the tax year beginning in April 2014. These limit the amounts of pension savings that can be made within one year - and still attract relief - to £40,000, down from £50,000. And the maximum pension pot anyone can amass before tax becomes due is set at £1.25m, down from £1.5m. A significant scaling-back of the tax relief applying to people who own property other than their main home kicks in from the beginning of April 2014. This could hit buy-to-let investors, holiday-home owners and long-distance commuters who live in a second property during the week. Under the old rule, a relief - known as "principal private residence relief" - enabled owners to exempt gains made in the last three years" ownership from capital gains tax, provided they had at one time used the property as their main home. From April only the final 18 months" gains can be exempted. A council tax break begins to apply to households that include an annexe or "granny flat." Until now, this would have attracted separate council tax in addition to the tax paid by the main household. From April 2014, a 50pc discount applies. Investors" total Isa allowance will be increased from £11,520 to £11,880. This is in line with inflation. The limits on Junior Isas for those aged under 18 will rise to £3,840 per child per year. Unfortunately, despite indicating that he had heard savers" pleas and was prepared to modify the system, the Chancellor did not announce that Child Trust Funds - the savings scheme that preceded Junior Isas - would be able to merge with these later accounts. Doing so would reduce the costs of the accounts and simplify saving for children. The planned 2p per litre fuel duty price rise planned for September 2014 was cancelled, meaning fuel duty won't rise further during this Parliament. Tax year beginning April 2015 A married couple's tax break applies from the year beginning April 2015 - but it is of limited value, at least in its current guise. Announced in October at the Conservative Party Conference, it will allow married couples who are not higher-rate taxpayers to transfer £1,000 of their existing personal allowances between themselves in order to limit tax. So it could be worth a maximum £200 where applicable, unless the benefit is increased before April 2015. British expats and foreigners who own residential property in the UK will have to pay capital gains tax from this tax year. This will bring the UK in line with most other countries. Importantly, the tax will apply to gains made after April 2015 only, so those who have benefited from recent price growth will be spared. It could also mean there is something of a sell-off of expensive properties ahead of this date as wealthy non-residents crystallise gains on London and other upmarket properties and seek to remain outside the tax net. In another pension-related announcement, some people will be able to top up their state pension entitlement. Women and the self-employed either already retired or due to reach state pension age by 2016 will be able to "buy" more entitlement - at a price to be announced this week. The measure is being introduced to help the estimated 12million pensioners who won't be eligible for the higher, flat-rate pension coming in from 2016. ...and beyond The winter of 2015-16 will be the first in which winter fuel payments will not be paid to people living in a European Economic Area country with an average winter temperature higher than the UK's warmest region. The inheritance tax threshold, currently set at £325,000 per year, is due to remain in place until 2018. Accompanying the Chancellor's Autumn Statement last Thursday, documents showed sharply increasing revenues arising from this tax, expected to raise £6bn in the 2017-18 tax year.