Understanding when you can retire is essential for financial planning. The UK state pension age has changed significantly over recent decades, equalising between men and women and gradually increasing. Your retirement date depends on when you were born, and further changes are already scheduled.
This guide explains current state pension ages, planned future changes, how to access workplace pensions early, and tips for retirement planning in 2025.
State Pension Age by Birth Date
| Date of Birth | State Pension Age |
|---|---|
| Before 6 Dec 1953 (women) | 60-65 (transitioned) |
| 6 Oct 1954 - 5 Apr 1960 | 66 |
| 6 Apr 1960 - 5 Mar 1961 | 66-67 (transitioning) |
| 6 Mar 1961 - 5 Apr 1977 | 67 |
| 6 Apr 1977 onwards | 68 (proposed) |
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Workplace Pension Access
| Pension Type | Earliest Access Age |
|---|---|
| Defined benefit (final salary) | Usually 55-60 |
| Defined contribution | 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) |
| SIPP/Personal pension | 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) |
Early Retirement Considerations
- Pension access: You can access workplace pensions from 55
- State pension gap: No state pension until state pension age
- Tax-free lump sum: 25% of pension can be taken tax-free
- Healthcare: Free NHS prescriptions from 60
- Transport: Free bus pass from 60 (varies by region)
Retirement Income Sources
| Source | When Available |
|---|---|
| State pension | State pension age |
| Workplace pension | 55+ (57+ from 2028) |
| Private pension | 55+ (57+ from 2028) |
| ISA savings | Any time |
| Property/investments | Any time |
State Pension Changes Timeline
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2010-2020 | Women's pension age rose from 60 to 65 |
| 2018-2020 | Both sexes rose from 65 to 66 |
| 2026-2028 | Rising from 66 to 67 (born after March 1961) |
| 2044-2046 | Rising from 67 to 68 (born after April 1977) |
Note: These dates may be subject to review by future governments.
Building Your State Pension
Your state pension amount depends on your National Insurance record:
- 35 qualifying years: Full new state pension (£221.20/week in 2025/26)
- 10-34 years: Proportional amount (e.g., 20 years = £126.40/week)
- Under 10 years: No state pension entitlement
Private Pension Access Ages
| Pension Type | Current Access Age | From April 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Defined contribution (workplace) | 55 | 57 |
| SIPP/Personal pension | 55 | 57 |
| Defined benefit (final salary) | Scheme rules (often 55-60) | Varies |
Early Retirement Planning
If you want to retire before state pension age, you'll need to bridge the income gap:
- Calculate the gap: How many years between early retirement and state pension age?
- Draw from private pensions: 25% tax-free, rest taxed as income
- ISA savings: Tax-free withdrawals at any age
- Part-time work: Many early retirees work reduced hours
- Downsize housing: Release equity from property
Age-Related Benefits
- 55+: Access to private pensions (57 from 2028)
- 60+: Free prescriptions, free off-peak bus travel
- 66+: State pension, Winter Fuel Payment
- 75+: Free TV licence (if receiving Pension Credit)
State Pension Age Changes: The Complete Timeline
The UK State Pension age has undergone significant changes in recent decades and further increases are legislated for the coming years. Understanding the timeline is essential for anyone planning their retirement, as the age at which you can claim your State Pension directly affects how long you need to work or fund retirement from private savings.
Current State Pension Age: 66
As of 2024, the State Pension age for both men and women is 66. This was reached through a series of phased increases. The State Pension age for women, historically 60, was gradually equalised with men's age of 65 between 2010 and 2018 under the Pensions Act 1995. The Pensions Act 2011 then accelerated the increase to 66 for both sexes, which was completed by October 2020.
Increase to 67: 2026 to 2028
The State Pension age is legislated to rise from 66 to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028. This affects people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 April 1961 most directly, as their pension age falls within the transition period. If you were born after 5 April 1961, your State Pension age will be 67. The exact date you reach State Pension age depends on your date of birth, and you can check this using the Government's online State Pension age calculator on GOV.UK.
Increase to 68: Timeline Under Review
The Pensions Act 2007 originally legislated for the State Pension age to increase to 68 between 2044 and 2046. The Pensions Act 2014 brought this forward to 2037 to 2039. However, the Government has indicated that the timing of the increase to 68 is subject to periodic review, taking into account life expectancy trends, the fiscal impact, and fairness across generations. The decision on the final timetable for the increase to 68 will depend on these ongoing reviews.
The principle behind these increases is that people should spend, on average, up to one-third of their adult life in retirement. As life expectancy has increased, the State Pension age must rise to keep the system affordable. However, life expectancy improvements have slowed in recent years, which may influence the timing of future increases.
The WASPI Campaign
The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign represents women born in the 1950s who were affected by the rapid acceleration of State Pension age equalisation. Many of these women argue they received inadequate notice of the changes and were unable to make alternative financial plans. The campaign has been one of the most prominent pension justice movements in UK history.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigated the matter and found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was guilty of maladministration in its failure to adequately communicate the State Pension age changes to affected women. The Ombudsman recommended compensation, though the final compensation arrangements remain subject to Parliamentary decision. The WASPI campaign itself has called for significantly higher compensation, arguing that many women lost tens of thousands of pounds in expected pension income.
Early Retirement Options in the UK
While the State Pension age determines when you can claim your Government pension, there is no legal requirement to work until that age. You can retire earlier if you have sufficient private pension savings and other income to support yourself. The key considerations for early retirement in the UK include:
- Workplace and personal pensions: You can access defined contribution pension pots from age 55 (rising to 57 from April 2028). The first 25% can be taken as a tax-free lump sum, with the remainder taxed as income.
- Defined benefit pensions: Many schemes allow early retirement from age 55, but benefits are typically reduced by 3 to 6 percent for each year you retire before the scheme's normal pension age, reflecting the longer payment period.
- ISAs and other savings: Savings in Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) can be accessed at any age, tax-free. Building a substantial ISA portfolio alongside pension contributions provides flexibility to bridge the gap between early retirement and State Pension age.
- The State Pension gap: If you retire at 57 but your State Pension age is 67, you need ten years of income from other sources. At the current full new State Pension rate of approximately 11,500 pounds per year, this gap represents over 115,000 pounds of income that must come from elsewhere.
Pension Access Age: Rising from 55 to 57
The minimum age at which you can access your private pension savings (the Normal Minimum Pension Age) is currently 55. From 6 April 2028, this will increase to 57, maintaining a ten-year gap below the State Pension age. Some pension schemes with protected retirement ages may be exempt from this increase, but this applies only to specific schemes that had provisions in place before the legislation was enacted. If you are planning to access your pension between ages 55 and 57, it is essential to check whether your scheme is affected by this change.
Boosting Your State Pension
To receive the full new State Pension, you need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions. You need at least 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension at all. If you have gaps in your National Insurance record, you may be able to make voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions to fill them. A year of voluntary contributions can add around 328 pounds per year to your State Pension, representing an excellent return if you live for more than about two and a half years after reaching State Pension age.
You can also defer claiming your State Pension. For each complete nine-week period you defer, your pension increases by 1%, equivalent to approximately 5.8% per year. This can be a worthwhile strategy if you are still working and do not need the income immediately, particularly if the additional income would push you into a higher tax bracket.
Frequently Asked Questions About UK Retirement
How do I check my State Pension forecast?
You can check your State Pension forecast online at GOV.UK by signing in with your Government Gateway or GOV.UK Verify account. The forecast shows your current State Pension entitlement, your projected entitlement at State Pension age, and whether you have any gaps in your National Insurance record that could be filled with voluntary contributions.
Can I claim my State Pension and continue working?
Yes, there is no requirement to stop working when you reach State Pension age. You can claim your State Pension while continuing to work. You will not pay National Insurance contributions on your earnings once you reach State Pension age, but your pension income and employment income are combined for income tax purposes, which may affect your tax band.
What happens to my State Pension if I move abroad?
You can claim your UK State Pension from anywhere in the world. However, annual increases (the triple lock) are only applied if you live in the UK, the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or a country with a bilateral social security agreement that includes uprating provisions. If you retire to countries such as Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, your State Pension will be frozen at the rate it was when you left the UK or when you first claimed it abroad.
UK Retirement Planning: State Pension, Workplace Pensions, and Tax
Retirement planning in the UK involves understanding several interconnected systems. The UK state pension underwent its most significant reform in April 2016 when the new state pension replaced the old basic state pension and additional state pension (SERPS/S2P). Under the new system, a single flat-rate pension is paid to those with sufficient National Insurance qualifying years. For the 2025/26 tax year, the full new state pension is 221.20 pounds per week, equivalent to approximately 11,502 pounds per year. You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions to receive the full amount, with a minimum of 10 years required for any state pension payment at all.
The state pension age has been gradually increasing and is currently 66 for both men and women. Under the Pensions Act 2014, the state pension age is scheduled to increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028, affecting those born on or after 6 April 1960. A further increase to 68 was originally planned for 2044 to 2046, but the government brought this forward to 2037 to 2039 before pausing the decision pending a further review. The government commissions independent reviews of the state pension age every six years, considering life expectancy data, fiscal sustainability, and intergenerational fairness.
Automatic enrolment, introduced in 2012, has transformed workplace pension participation in the UK. As of 2024, over 10 million workers have been automatically enrolled into workplace pension schemes. Employers must contribute a minimum of 3 percent of qualifying earnings, employees contribute 5 percent, and tax relief adds approximately 1 percent, bringing the total minimum contribution to 8 percent. Qualifying earnings for the 2025/26 tax year are between 6,240 and 50,270 pounds. Workers can opt out, but research by the Department for Work and Pensions shows that only around 8 percent of eligible employees choose to do so. The government has committed to reviewing minimum contribution levels, with many financial advisers suggesting that 12 to 15 percent of salary is needed for a comfortable retirement.
Practical Tips for UK Retirement Planning
- Check your State Pension forecast on gov.uk. The Check Your State Pension service at gov.uk/check-state-pension shows your projected weekly state pension amount based on your current National Insurance record. It also shows how many qualifying years you have and how many more you may need to reach the full amount. If you have gaps in your record, you may be able to make voluntary National Insurance contributions (Class 3) to fill them, currently costing 17.45 pounds per week per missing year.
- Consolidate old workplace pensions. The average UK worker changes jobs 11 times during their career, potentially accumulating multiple small pension pots. The government's Pension Tracing Service can help locate lost pensions. Consider consolidating smaller pots into a single scheme to reduce administration, improve investment choices, and make it easier to monitor your total retirement savings. However, check for any valuable guarantees before transferring, particularly from defined benefit schemes.
- Understand your pension tax relief. UK taxpayers receive tax relief on pension contributions at their marginal rate. Basic rate taxpayers get 20 percent relief automatically, while higher rate (40 percent) and additional rate (45 percent) taxpayers can claim extra relief through their Self Assessment tax return. The annual allowance for pension contributions is 60,000 pounds for the 2025/26 tax year, or 100 percent of your earnings if lower. Exceeding this limit triggers a tax charge on the excess.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
When can I access my workplace pension in the UK?
How much do I need to save for retirement in the UK?
Can I defer my UK State Pension to get a higher amount?
James Mitchell, ACCA
Chartered Accountant & Former HMRC Advisor
James is a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) specialising in UK personal taxation and financial planning. With over 12 years in practice and a background as a former HMRC compliance officer, he brings authoritative insight to complex tax topics.