State Pension age rising to 67: check your date

The increase is phased by date of birth

The official timetable gives people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 a State Pension age between 66 years and one month and 66 years and eleven months. Under the current timetable, people born from 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 have a State Pension age of 67.

For example, a person born on 10 September 1960 reaches State Pension age at 66 years and six months: 10 March 2027. Someone born on 10 March 1961 reaches it at 67: 10 March 2028. Use the official checker for your own date, including the special treatment of some month-end birthdays.

Check both the date and the amount

Your State Pension forecast shows when you can claim, an estimate of your entitlement and whether you may be able to improve it. For 2026/27, the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, equivalent to £12,547.60 over 52 weeks. Your personal forecast may differ: your National Insurance record and transitional rules can affect the amount.

Record the forecast date and your own forecast amount in your retirement budget. If you are planning as a couple, check each person's details separately. One household can have several years in which only one partner receives State Pension.

Work out the cost of the gap

Illustrative, not advice. A person plans to stop working six months before State Pension age. After other reliable income, their monthly spending gap is £900. Six months × £900 means £5,400 is needed for that interval, before any extra tax on pension withdrawals or unexpected spending.

Write the months on a timeline and enter when each income actually begins. Consider annual expenses as well as everyday bills. Check what happens if the retirement date changes or a private pension starts later. A cash-flow gap can exist even when the annual totals look sufficient.

Claiming and private pension access are separate

State Pension is not normally paid automatically: you must claim it. GOV.UK explains the claim process and when to start it. If you choose not to claim, deferral rules apply; understand those rules before relying on a later higher payment.

The normal minimum age for most private pension access rises from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028, subject to exceptions and protections. That is a different change from State Pension age rising to 67. Your own scheme may set additional conditions.

State Pension age is periodically reviewed. Use the current official timetable for planning and revisit it as retirement approaches, rather than treating speculation about a future rise to 68 as an enacted change.