Pensions & Retirement

State Pension Age Changes UK 2026 — When Can You Retire?

UK state pension age changes explained. Current age for men and women, when it rises to 67 and 68, how to check your personal state pension age, and what it means for retirement plans.

By PocketWise · · 5 min read

Pension information is based on current UK legislation. Pensions are regulated by the FCA and The Pensions Regulator. This is not financial advice — consider consulting an FCA-regulated financial adviser.

The state pension age is changing. Here’s when you can claim your state pension and how future increases affect you.

Read more: See our State Pension guide for a complete overview of this topic.

Current State Pension Age

State Pension Age in 2026

Gender State Pension Age
Men 66 (rising to 67)
Women 66 (rising to 67)

The increase from 66 to 67 is happening between April 2026 and April 2028.

State Pension Age Timetable

Increase to 67 (2026-2028)

Date of Birth State Pension Age
Before 6 April 1960 66
6 April 1960 - 5 May 1960 66 years, 1 month
6 May 1960 - 5 June 1960 66 years, 2 months
6 June 1960 - 5 July 1960 66 years, 3 months
6 July 1960 - 5 August 1960 66 years, 4 months
6 August 1960 - 5 September 1960 66 years, 5 months
6 September 1960 - 5 October 1960 66 years, 6 months
6 October 1960 - 5 November 1960 66 years, 7 months
6 November 1960 - 5 December 1960 66 years, 8 months
6 December 1960 - 5 January 1961 66 years, 9 months
6 January 1961 - 5 February 1961 66 years, 10 months
6 February 1961 - 5 March 1961 66 years, 11 months
6 March 1961 onwards 67

Increase to 68 (Planned)

Date of Birth Planned State Pension Age
6 April 1961 - 5 April 1977 67
6 April 1977 onwards 68 (subject to review)

Note: The timetable for increasing to 68 is subject to change. The government reviews the state pension age periodically.

How Changes Affect You

If You Were Born Before 1960

Situation Your SPA
Born before 6 April 1960 Already 66 or have reached it
Women born before 6 November 1953 May have had earlier SPA

If You Were Born 1960-1961

Your state pension age is between 66 and 67. Use the table above or the government calculator for your exact date.

Example:

Birth Date State Pension Age Reach SPA
15 July 1960 66 years, 4 months November 2026
10 December 1960 66 years, 9 months September 2027
20 April 1961 67 April 2028

If You Were Born After March 1961

Your state pension age is 67 (unless further changes are made).

If You Were Born After 1977

Your state pension age may be 68, depending on the outcome of government reviews.

History of State Pension Age Changes

Timeline of Changes

Period Men Women
Before 2010 65 60
2010-2018 65 Rising from 60 to 65
2018-2020 Rising to 66 Rising to 66
2020-2026 66 66
2026-2028 Rising to 67 Rising to 67
From 2028 67 67

Why the State Pension Age Increases

Factor Impact
Increasing life expectancy People live longer, collect pension longer
Pension costs Rising cost to government
Ratio of workers to pensioners Fewer workers supporting more pensioners
Fairness between generations Balance contribution and receipt

Life Expectancy at State Pension Age

Year Life Expectancy at SPA (Men) Life Expectancy at SPA (Women)
1950 14 years 18 years
1980 14 years 19 years
2000 17 years 20 years
2020 19 years 21 years
2026 (est) 20 years 22 years

Impact on Private Pensions

When You Can Access Private Pensions

Pension Type Current Minimum Age Changing To
DC pension 55 57 (from 2028)
DB pension Usually scheme rules Often linked to SPA
SIPP 55 57 (from 2028)

The private pension minimum access age stays 10 years below state pension age for most schemes.

Planning the Gap

If you want to retire before state pension age:

Situation Gap to Cover
Retire at 60, SPA 67 7 years
Retire at 62, SPA 67 5 years
Retire at 65, SPA 67 2 years

Example calculation:

Factor Amount
Annual expenses £25,000
Years until SPA 5
Income needed from other sources £125,000

Planning for State Pension Age Changes

If Your SPA Has Increased

Impact How to Adjust
Working longer Plan career transition
Pension savings May need to last longer without SP
Bridge the gap Private pension, savings, part-time work

Checking Your State Pension Age

  1. Online calculator: gov.uk/state-pension-age
  2. State pension forecast: gov.uk/check-state-pension
  3. Government Gateway: Sign in to see personalised date

What Your Forecast Shows

Information Purpose
Your state pension age When you can claim
Your forecast amount What you’ll receive
NI record Years contributed
Gaps Years you could buy

Women Affected by 1950s Changes

WASPI Campaign

Women born in the 1950s were affected by state pension age equalisation:

Impact Detail
Who was affected Women born 1950-1960
What changed SPA increased from 60 to 66
Notice given Considered insufficient by campaigners
Ombudsman ruling Found maladministration in communication
Compensation Government considering response

Example Impact

Birth Year Expected SPA Actual SPA Difference
1953 60 65 years, 4 months +5 years
1954 60 66 +6 years
1955 60 66 +6 years

Future Reviews

How State Pension Age Is Reviewed

Process Detail
Regular reviews Every 6 years (statutory requirement)
Based on Life expectancy data
Principle Average 33% of adult life in receipt of SP
Government decision Can accelerate or delay changes

Possible Future Changes

Scenario Impact on SPA
Life expectancy continues rising Further increases likely
Economic pressures May accelerate increases
Improving health spans May justify working longer
Political changes Could delay increases

What to Do Now

Action Checklist

Action Why It Matters
Check your state pension age Know your exact date
Get a state pension forecast See what you’ll receive
Review NI record Fill any gaps
Plan private pension access Bridge the gap to SPA
Consider working longer If SPA higher than expected

Planning for Different Scenarios

Scenario Strategy
Want to retire before SPA Build enough private savings
Happy to work to SPA Ensure job security
Health concerns at older age Consider early retirement savings
Self-employed Build personal pension

Key Dates to Remember

Event Date
SPA increase to 67 begins 6 April 2026
SPA increase to 67 complete 5 April 2028
SPA increase to 68 (planned) 2037-2039 (subject to review)
Private pension age rises to 57 2028

Sources

  1. GOV.UK — State Pension age
  2. GOV.UK — State Pension age timetable