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.
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.
Contents
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 March 1961 - 5 April 1977
67
6 April 1977 onwards
67, possibly rising to 68 (subject to review)
Note: The timetable for increasing to 68 is legislated for 2044–2046 but is subject to a further government review, launched in July 2025 and still ongoing as of September 2026. The Treasury has told the OBR (July 2026 fiscal risks report) that its current policy position is to bring this forward to 2037–2039, but that is not yet law — no revised date has been confirmed, and any change needs the review to conclude and Parliament’s approval.
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 if you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961. 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 5 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
Online calculator: gov.uk/state-pension-age
State pension forecast: gov.uk/check-state-pension
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 confirmed on 17 December 2024 it will not pay compensation, rejecting the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendation
Example Impact
Birth Year
Expected SPA
Actual SPA
Difference
1953
60
Roughly 63-65, depending on exact birth month
Up to around +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 (legislated)
2044-2046 — under review; Treasury’s stated policy position is 2037-2039, but this isn’t yet law