More than a million pensioners are now paying top rates of income tax, new official figures reveal.The number liable for 40 per cent higher rate tax has doubled to 977,000 over the past five years, while those paying the 45 per cent additional rate trebled to 115,000 in the current tax yearThe new breakdown by tax bracket also shows the number of pensioners paying 20 per cent basic rate tax has risen by a third to 8.48million over this period.The new HMRC figures, obtained under a freedom of information request by former Pensions Minister Steve Webb, follow a freeze on thresholds which is set to last until 2031 and is set to accelerate the trend.Webb, a partner at pension consultant LCP, says there were also significant inflation-linked increases to state pensions and other pensions over the past five years.He notes that during this time the income tax personal allowance has been frozen at £12,570 and the starting rate of higher rate income tax has been frozen at £50,270.The threshold for the additional 45 per cent tax rate was first frozen at £150,000 and then cut to £125,140 from 2023-24 onwards. Income tax: Freeze on thresholds has been in place for five years and is set to last until 2031Altogether, more than ten million pensioners are now paying income tax, setting a new record since thresholds were frozen, according to official figures released in July.'Many people of working age may have expected that they would be basic rate taxpayers in retirement, but few will have expected to find themselves paying 40 per cent or more out of their pensions in tax,' says Webb.'But this is the norm now for over a million pensioners, with the number set to rise further.'Those who are planning their retirement finances will increasingly need to allow for the fact that a significant chunk of the income they had planned to live on will be taxed at 40 per cent or more, and for some that means more pension saving will be needed today to compensate.'