State Pension Age rising from 66 to 67 — when am I affected?

The UK State Pension Age (SPA) is rising from 66 to 67, phased in between 6 May 2026 and 6 March 2028. People born on or before 5 April 1960 retain SPA 66. People born on or after 6 March 1961 have SPA 67. Anyone born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 falls into the phased transition, with their SPA falling somewhere between 66 and 67 depending on their specific date of birth. The increase was legislated in the Pensions Act 2014 and is now being implemented on schedule. A further rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046 is also legislated but under review.

This is the phase-in detail and what to do if you’re in the transition window.

The framework

UK State Pension Age has been progressively rising for decades:

• 65 for men, 60 for women (historical).
• Equalised at 65 by 2018 (women rose from 60 to 65 over several years).
• 66 from October 2020.
• 67 from May 2026 (phased through March 2028).
• 68 between 2044 and 2046 (legislated but under independent review).

The 66 → 67 rise was legislated in the Pensions Act 2014. The Department for Work and Pensions confirmed in early 2026 that the phase-in would proceed on schedule.

The phase-in dates

Based on the legislated phase-in:

Date of birth	State Pension Age
On or before 5 April 1960	66 (unaffected)
6 April 1960 – 5 May 1960	66 years and 1 month
6 May 1960 – 5 June 1960	66 years and 2 months
6 June 1960 – 5 July 1960	66 years and 3 months
6 July 1960 – 5 August 1960	66 years and 4 months
6 August 1960 – 5 September 1960	66 years and 5 months
6 September 1960 – 5 October 1960	66 years and 6 months
6 October 1960 – 5 November 1960	66 years and 7 months
6 November 1960 – 5 December 1960	66 years and 8 months
6 December 1960 – 5 January 1961	66 years and 9 months
6 January 1961 – 5 February 1961	66 years and 10 months
6 February 1961 – 5 March 1961	66 years and 11 months
On or after 6 March 1961	67

Roughly: each month of later birth date pushes your SPA by one month. Someone born 15 September 1960 reaches SPA at 66 years and 6 months — that’s 15 March 2027.

The authoritative tool is the gov.uk Check your State Pension Age calculator — enter your date of birth and it gives the exact SPA and the date you can claim.

Why this matters

A delayed State Pension Age means:

• One year of pension income foregone for those born after 5 April 1961 — at the new 2026/27 rate of £241.30/week, that’s about £12,548 of lifetime income.
• Potential need to bridge the gap with private pension drawdown, savings or continued work.
• Tax-planning implications — if you were planning to claim State Pension and start drawing your private pension simultaneously, the timing shifts.

For those affected, the practical financial impact is meaningful — about a year of working or drawing on savings before State Pension kicks in.

What hasn’t changed

A few things to be clear about:

Eligibility (35 qualifying years)

You still need 35 qualifying National Insurance years for the full new State Pension. The age change doesn’t affect the qualifying years requirement.

Amount

The full new State Pension is £241.30/week for 2026/27 (£12,548/year), uprated annually under the triple lock.

Private pension access age

The minimum pension age for private pensions is rising separately — from 55 to 57 — but on a different timeline. From 6 April 2028, you must be at least 57 to access most defined contribution pensions. See our pension at 55 guide for the detail.

These are two separate ages on two separate timelines:

• Private pension minimum: 55 → 57 from April 2028.
• State Pension Age: 66 → 67 from May 2026 to March 2028.

What to do if you’re in the transition

If your date of birth falls in the 11-month transition window (6 April 1960 – 5 March 1961):

1. Confirm your specific SPA

Use the gov.uk SPA calculator — enter your DOB to get the exact date.

2. Check your State Pension forecast

The Check your State Pension forecast service shows your current forecast and any gaps in your NI record. The earlier you check, the more time to fill gaps if needed.

3. Plan the bridge

If your SPA is, say, 9 months later than the previous 66, you may need to bridge the gap from age 66:

• Continue working for the extra 9 months.
• Draw on private pension (from age 55, or 57 from April 2028).
• Use ISA / savings if cash buffers are available.
• Combination of the above.

4. Update your retirement plan

If you’re within 5–10 years of SPA, the change is meaningful enough to revisit your retirement-age plan. A regulated financial planner can help model the cash-flow gap.

What about further rises to 68?

The Pensions Act 2014 also legislated a rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046, affecting people born after 5 April 1977.

Independent reviews (most recently the Cridland Review 2017 and subsequent DWP reviews) have considered accelerating the 68 rise to as early as the late 2030s. The 2017 government decision deferred any acceleration; the current position is that 68 lands in the mid-2040s as legislated.

The next mandatory review is due before April 2029. The current government has indicated no plans to accelerate further; opposition parties have varied positions. The picture for those in their 40s and 50s today should be considered uncertain.

Implications for retirement planning

For anyone planning retirement:

Under 50 today

Plan for SPA of 67 (or possibly 68). Build private pension and ISA savings to cover the gap if you want to retire before SPA.

Aged 50–60 today

You’ll likely be on SPA 67. Use the State Pension forecast service to confirm your specific SPA and bridge planning.

Aged 60+ today

Most fall under the existing SPA 66 rules or transitional SPA 66-67. Confirm your date with the calculator.

Already drawing State Pension

Nothing changes for you. The rise affects future claimants only.

A note on the 2025 Autumn Budget

The 2025 Autumn Budget did not change the SPA timetable. The Spring Statement on 3 March 2026 also made no SPA changes. The 66 → 67 phase-in proceeds on the schedule legislated in 2014.

Worked example: in the transition

Sarah was born on 20 August 1960. Looking up her SPA:

• Born between 6 August and 5 September 1960 → SPA of 66 years and 5 months.
• 66 years and 5 months from 20 August 1960 = 20 January 2027.

Sarah can claim State Pension from 20 January 2027. If she had been born on 5 April 1960 instead, she’d claim at the standard age 66 (5 April 2026). If she had been born on 6 March 1961 or later, she’d wait until age 67.

Her plan: continue full-time work until November 2026, then transition to part-time, then claim State Pension in January 2027 and draw on her SIPP for the remaining income.

Internal links

• How to check your UK State Pension forecast
• Can I take my pension at 55 and still work?
• How much pension do I need to retire comfortably UK?

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This guide is information, not regulated financial advice. Use the official State Pension Age calculator for your specific date. State Pension rules can change — confirm on gov.uk before acting.