By Intense Life Desires 
Torsten Bell, Minister for Pensions
Pensions Minister Torsten Bell has been called on by Chancellor Rachel Reeves to help prepare the upcoming Autumn Budget, according to reports.
The Chancellor has reportedly confirmed to political publication the New Statesmen that MP Torsten Bell, who was appointed as Pensions Minister earlier this year, will help with policy preparations for the Budget.
The move suggests that pension reform may be on the cards.
The Swansea West MP has a background in economics and for nearly 10 years ran the Resolution Foundation, which aims to produce policies aiding lower and middle income earners.
Some ideas that the Pensions Minister has previously called for include consolidation of pension funds, scrapping the Triple Lock, and overhauling the inheritance tax and capital gains tax systems.
He has also previously refused to rule out imposing capital gains tax on homeowners by ending the current exemption on primary residences.
The Resolution Foundation think tank has previously proposed wide ranging tax system changes, including increasing the basic rate of tax on dividends to 20% and increasing National Insurance contributions by 300% to 8% for those earning above £50,000.
During his time at the think tank it also called for reforms to the ‘regressive’ council tax system and raising the age at which private pensions can be accessed with full-tax benefits.
There is already speculation that the tax free lump sum could be under threat in the latest Budget (expected this October but not yet confirmed), as well as discussions around a wider wealth tax from 2030.
The Government has already revived the Pensions Commission to look at ways to tackle the problem of Britons not saving enough for retirement. The Commission last met in 2006 and recommended automatic enrolment in workplace pensions.