AFAR1 Mock Paper 2 — Allowances & Scheme Types
A standard AFAR1 mock applying tapered annual allowance, carry forward, DB vs DC comparisons, net pay vs relief at source, and LSA usage. Two case studies on a high earner and a teacher weighing DB benefits.
- Questions
- 30
- Minutes
- 45
- Pass (70%)
- 21/30
Sit it timed
The timer starts when you press the button. You can still finish after it runs out — it is there to mimic exam pressure, not to lock you out.
Free preview: the first 5 of 30 questions, with a timer to match. Unlock the full paper
Answer options are shuffled on every attempt. Your progress is saved as you go, so a refresh won't lose it.
About AFAR1 Mock Paper 2
This is mock paper 2 of 3 for AFAR1, the Retirement planning — Unit 1 unit of CeMAP. The 3 papers in this unit run easier → harder so you can build up to exam standard rather than being thrown in at the deep end. This one sits in the standard tier: it is pitched at roughly live-exam difficulty, with distractors that are all plausible until you read them properly.
Every question carries a written explanation, so a wrong answer tells you which rule you have misread instead of just costing you a mark. Questions are original, written against the 2025/26 five-unit CeMAP syllabus, and cover the material the way the examiner tests it — precise recall where recall is tested, and judgement where the paper wants judgement.
Format, timing and pass mark
AFAR1 Mock Paper 2 follows the live AFAR1 format: 20 standalone questions + 2 case studies × 5 linked questions, in 45 minutes — about 90 seconds a question. Pass mark 21/30 (70%), as in the real assessment. There is no negative marking, so answer everything. 2 case studies carry linked questions: read each scenario once, carefully, before answering any part of it.
What this paper tests
The 30 questions in AFAR1 Mock Paper 2 break down across 10 topic areas:
- DB vs DC6 questions
- Tapered AA4 questions
- Tax relief4 questions
- Carry forward3 questions
- LSA & LSDBA3 questions
- State Pension3 questions
- Annual allowance2 questions
- Auto-enrolment2 questions
- MPAA2 questions
- Personal pensions & SIPPs1 question
Try two questions from AFAR1 Mock Paper 2
These come from the free preview of this paper. Answer them, then reveal the explanation.
Tapered AA
Dr Sharma's adjusted income is £285,000. By how much is her standard £60,000 annual allowance reduced?
- A£0
- B£25,000
- C£12,500
- D£50,000
Reveal the answer
C is correct. Adjusted income exceeds £260,000 by £25,000. Reduction = £25,000 ÷ 2 = £12,500. Her tapered annual allowance is £47,500 before any carry forward.
Tapered AA
For tapering to apply, which two income tests must both be exceeded?
- AOnly adjusted income above £60,000
- BThreshold income £200,000 and adjusted income £260,000
- COnly threshold income above £260,000
- DThreshold income £100,000 and adjusted income £150,000
Reveal the answer
B is correct. Both threshold income (£200,000) and adjusted income (£260,000) must be exceeded before tapering bites. If only one is exceeded, the full £60,000 allowance remains.
Scored under 70%? Revise these next
A near miss is almost always a calculation you cannot do under time pressure, a definition you half-know, or a rule you have never read in the examiner's words. Start with the topic areas above where you dropped marks, then:
- →Drill the calculations on the CeMAP formula sheet — LTV, income multiples, SDLT, APRC, ERCs and rental cover, each worked through.
- →Nail the terminology in the CeMAP glossary — a surprising share of wrong answers are a term you nearly knew.
- →Re-read the syllabus coverage on the AFAR1 exam guide, then sit the next paper in the ramp.
The other AFAR1 mock papers
3 timed mocks for this unit, running easier → harder. Sitting the whole ramp is what moves a borderline score to a comfortable pass.