State Pension Eligibility Age Increased: A large group of people throughout the UK will face having to wait longer to receive their State Pension, as the government embarks on a gradual rise in the retirement age from 66 to 67. The changes to the State Pension age will run from April 2026 until 2028 and will impact on individuals born between April 1960 and April 1977.
The changes are due to legislation passed in the UK’s Pensions Act 2014 and are justified by growing life expectancy. It also focuses on a long-term commitment to managing public finances relating to pension costs.
The State Pension age is reviewed regularly in the UK by the government to maintain sustainability and manage the cost to the state. It focuses of people living longer and receiving payments for more years than ever before. The rationale given is that the rising cost of State Pension payments would put further pressure on the UK public finances.
The State Pension age currently stands at 66. However, from April 6, 2026 the qualifying age began rising gradually and will reach 67 by March-April 2028.
The first group affected includes individuals born between 6 April, 1960 and 5 May, 1960 who must now wait an additional month beyond their 66th birthday before becoming eligible for the State Pension.
The delay then increases gradually depending on date of birth. Those born later in 1960 and early 1961 will wait several additional months before qualifying. Anyone born on or after 6 March 1961 will generally qualify for the State Pension at age 67 rather than 66.
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Some campaign groups, such as Waspi, have argued that they have not been given enough warning over the changes. Meanwhile, other experts warn of pension poverty as a result of the changes, arguing that some workers will not have had enough time to alter their pension plans to account for the delays in payment.
Work and Pension Committee Chair Debbie Abrahams stated when the inquiry was launched that “In our Pensioner Poverty report, we called on the Government to create a coherent cross-governmental strategy that would get ahead of the consequences of an ageing society. Its response pointed to a lot of – not unwelcome – standalone policies, but nothing that amounted to a guiding star for all departments for the health of the country as it edges towards retirement. It potentially leaves people exposed to falling between the cracks.”
He added, “Pre-pensioners are particularly exposed. You could’ve worked a gruelling 45 years as a skilled tradesperson, paying taxes only to find yourself short of cash as you limp from day-to-day for more years until the pension payoff. It’s only natural that this situation would make you feel a sense of injustice, facing hardship, having been independent and contributing for decades.”
The government has already launched another review of the State Pension age, examining demographic trends, life expectancy and long-term pension affordability. While no immediate changes have been announced beyond the move to age 67, policymakers continue to evaluate when and how the next scheduled increase to age 68 should be implemented.
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