The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed the exact date the state pension age in the UK will begin rising to 68. The state pension age currently stands at 66, with plans to increase to 67 by 2028, and the UK Government is legally required to carry out periodic reviews of the age threshold to determine whether it will continue to rise.
A schedule showing when these changes will take effect for those impacted was published alongside the Pensions Act 2014. The DWP has also noted that state pensioners can use the government's state pension calculator to determine their own state pension age.
Who is affected by the rise to 68
Those born on or after April 6, 1977, should expect their state pension age to be gradually raised to 68 at some point in the future. These changes are currently scheduled to commence in 2044, reports the Manchester Evening News.
This follows the DWP's confirmation that the rise in state pension age from 66 to 67 is expected to be fully implemented for all men and women across the UK in the next two years. The increase will be introduced incrementally for those born after September 6, 1960, with 12 staged increases outlined by the DWP.
What the DWP has said
The DWP said: "Under the Pensions Act 2007 the State Pension age for men and women will increase from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046."
The Pensions Act 2014 provides for a regular review of the State Pension age, at least once every five years. The review will be based around the idea that people should be able to spend a certain proportion of their adult life drawing a State Pension. The first review must by completed by May 2017.
As well as life expectancy, it will take into account a range of factors relevant to setting the pension age. After the review has reported, the Government may then choose to bring forward changes to the State Pension age.
Timetable for the increase
"Any proposals to do so would, like now, have to go through Parliament before becoming law. The Government is not planning to revise the existing timetables for the equalisation of State Pension age to 65 or the rise in the State Pension age to 66 or 67."
However, the timetable for the increase in the State Pension age from 67 to 68 could change as a result of the review. The DWP timetable for the State Pension age increase from 67 to 68 is as follows:
- 6 April 1977 – 5 May 1977: 6 May 2044
- 6 May 1977 – 5 June 1977: 6 July 2044
- 6 June 1977 – 5 July 1977: 6 September 2044
- 6 July 1977 – 5 August 1977: 6 November 2044
- 6 August 1977 – 5 September 1977: 6 January 2045
- 6 September 1977 – 5 October 1977: 6 March 2045
- 6 October 1977 – 5 November 1977: 6 May 2045
- 6 November 1977 – 5 December 1977: 6 July 2045
- 6 December 1977 – 5 January 1978: 6 September 2045
- 6 January 1978 – 5 February 1978: 6 November 2045
- 6 February 1978 – 5 March 1978: 6 January 2046
- 6 March 1978 – 5 April 1978: 6 March 2046
- 6 April 1978 onwards: 68th birthday
