The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed a major State Pension age change that will affect when anyone born after 1977 can claim their first payment. A change to the State Pension age is already under way in the UK, with the age legislated to rise from 66 to 67 in phases over a two-year period between April 2026 and 2028. As the age increase is being implemented gradually, people with a 66th birthday who fall within the transitional period now face a longer wait to become eligible to claim the State Pension. But the DWP has confirmed that a further age increase is planned, affecting anyone born after 1977.
The State Pension age is set to rise once again between 2044 and 2046 to age 68, meaning younger generations face an even longer wait until they reach retirement age and can start claiming their State Pension. However, the age increase could potentially take place even sooner following the launch of an early review. A review of the State Pension age is normally carried out every six years, but the DWP is currently reviewing whether the transition to age 68 should be accelerated, despite the previous review having only been completed in 2023.
Early Review and Its Implications
While the current timetable for the State Pension age increase remains on track, the third official review could change it and potentially bring the next age change forward. The early review was launched amid concerns that adults aren’t saving enough into private pensions for their retirement, with DWP analysis finding around 15 million people are undersaving for retirement, with the self-employed, low-paid and some ethnic minorities particularly affected.
The Government Actuary has been commissioned to prepare a report on the State Pension age as part of this third review and will consider whether the rules around pensionable age are appropriate, based on life expectancy data, and whether a person who reaches pensionable age within a specified period can be expected to spend a specified proportion of their adult life in retirement.
Current Timetable and Potential Changes
According to the DWP, increases to the State Pension age take a “range of factors” into account, and any changes must go through Parliament before becoming law. So while there are no current plans to revise the timetable for the age increase from 66 to 67, the review could change the timetable for the age increase from 67 to 68. But under the current plan, the State Pension age for men and women born after April 5, 1977, will increase to 68 and be phased in gradually between 2044 and 2046.
As such, people with birthdays between April 6, 1977, and April 5, 1978, will have to wait until they turn 68 and have accumulated a specified number of months before they can claim their State Pension. Anyone born on or after April 6, 1978, will be eligible to receive their State Pension from their 68th birthday.
Detailed Timetable for State Pension Age Increase to 68
- Born between April 6, 1977 - May 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on May 6, 2044
- Born between May 6, 1977 - June 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on July 6, 2044
- Born between June 6,1977 - July 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on September 6, 2044
- Born between July 6, 1977 - August 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on November 6, 2044
- Born between August 6, 1977 - September 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on January 6, 2045
- Born between September 6, 1977 - October 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on March 6, 2045
- Born between October 6, 1977 - November 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on May 6, 2045
- Born between November 6, 1977 - December 5, 1977 - Reach State Pension age on July 6, 2045
- Born between December 6, 1977 - January 5, 1978 - Reach State Pension age on September 6, 2045
- Born between January 6, 1978 - February 5, 1978 - Reach State Pension age on November 6, 2045
- Born between February 6, 1978 - March 5, 1978 - Reach State Pension age on January 6, 2046
- Born between March 6, 1978 - April 5, 1978 - Reach State Pension age on March 6, 2046
- Born April 6, 1978 onwards - Reach State Pension age on 68th birthday
Government Commentary
Commenting on the planned age increase to 68, 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 5 years. The review will be based on the idea that people should be able to spend a certain proportion of their adult life drawing a State Pension. The first review must be 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 been reported, the government may then choose to bring forward changes to the State Pension age. 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. In the Autumn Statement on 5 December 2013, the Chancellor announced that this government believes that future generations should spend up to a third of their adult life in retirement. This principle implies that State Pension age should rise to 68 by the mid-2030s, and 69 by the late 2040s. However, the government is not currently legislating for this change – these dates are indicative only, showing a general direction of travel for future State Pension age changes.”
