The short answer
- Born before 6 April 1960: your State Pension age is 66 or lower, and you have already reached it.
- Born 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961: between 66 and 1 month and 66 and 11 months.
- Born 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977: 67.
- Born 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978: a fixed date between 6 May 2044 and 6 March 2046.
- Born on or after 6 April 1978: 68, under current law.
What State Pension age is
State Pension age is set by law and depends only on your date of birth. It is the same for men and women. It is not a retirement age: you can keep working as long as you like, and you can stop earlier if you can afford to. It is simply the earliest date the State Pension can be paid.
It also matters for other things. Some benefits for working-age people stop and pension-age benefits such as Pension Credit become available. In England, you also become entitled to a free bus pass.
How it has changed
- Until 201060 for women, 65 for men
Set in 1940 for women and 1925 for men.
- 2010 to 2018Women's age rises to 65
Equalised with men under the Pensions Acts 1995 and 2011.
- 2018 to 2020Both rise to 66
Brought forward by the Pensions Act 2011.
- 2026 to 2028Rising to 67
Under the Pensions Act 2014.
- 2044 to 2046Rising to 68
Under the Pensions Act 2007, unless the law changes.
The changes reflect longer life expectancy and the cost of the State Pension. The rise for women in the 2010s was controversial, because many women say they were not told in good time.
The rise from 66 to 67
The rise to 67 started in 2026. For people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, State Pension age goes up by a month for each month of birth. Each “month” runs from the 6th to the 5th of the next month.
| Date of birth | State Pension age | Date reached |
|---|---|---|
| 6 April 1960 | 66 and 1 month | 6 May 2026 |
| 20 August 1960 | 66 and 5 months | 20 January 2027 |
| 10 December 1960 | 66 and 9 months | 10 September 2027 |
| 5 March 1961 | 66 and 11 months | 5 February 2028 |
| 6 March 1961 | 67 | 6 March 2028 |
The rise from 67 to 68
Under the Pensions Act 2007, State Pension age rises to 68 between 2044 and 2046. People born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978 reach it on a fixed date, which moves forward two months for each month of birth.
| Date of birth | Date reached | Age then |
|---|---|---|
| 6 April 1977 | 6 May 2044 | 67 and 1 month |
| 10 July 1977 | 6 November 2044 | 67 and 3 months |
| 25 December 1977 | 6 September 2045 | 67 and 8 months |
| 5 April 1978 | 6 March 2046 | 67 and 11 months |
| 6 April 1978 or later | 68th birthday | 68 |
Could it change again?
The government must review State Pension age regularly. A third review is under way. It could recommend bringing the rise to 68 forward, as an earlier independent report suggested in 2017, or leaving the timetable alone. Any change needs a new law, and the government has said it will give at least 10 years’ notice of changes.
Younger people should plan for uncertainty
If you were born after 1970, it is sensible to plan for the possibility that your State Pension age could be higher than it is today. The calculator uses current law.
How much you get
If you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016, you get the new State Pension. The full rate is £241.30 a week in 2026/27, or £12,547.60 a year. People who reached State Pension age before then get the basic State Pension, £184.90 a week in full, plus any additional pension.
The State Pension rises each April under the triple lock, by the highest of average earnings growth, CPI inflation or 2.5%. It is taxable income, but it is paid without tax taken off.
Your National Insurance record
You need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension and at least 10 for any. A qualifying year is one where you paid enough National Insurance, or received credits.
- Employees
- Earning at least £129 a week, £6,708 a year (the lower earnings limit)
- Self-employed
- Profits of at least £7,105 a year
- Parents
- Claiming Child Benefit for a child under 12
- Carers and others
- Carer's Allowance, Universal Credit, sickness or unemployment benefits
If you were “contracted out” of the additional State Pension before 2016, your starting amount may be lower, and you may need more than 35 years to reach the full rate. Your official forecast on GOV.UK takes this into account.
Filling gaps with voluntary contributions
- Class 3 voluntary contributions: £18.40 × 52 weeks£956.80
- Extra State Pension: £241.30 ÷ 35£6.89 a week
- Extra a year£358.50
You can usually fill gaps from the past six tax years. Before paying, check your forecast: a year only helps if you are below the full amount and will not reach 35 years anyway before State Pension age. The Future Pension Centre can tell you whether it is worth it.
Claiming and payment
- The State Pension is not paid automatically. You should get a letter about two months before your State Pension age.
- You can claim online, by phone or by post, up to four months before.
- It is usually paid every four weeks, in arrears, into a bank account.
- Your payment day depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance number.
Putting off your claim
If you do not claim, your State Pension is deferred. Under the new State Pension, it rises by the equivalent of 1% for every 9 weeks you defer, which is just under 5.8% for a full year. You must defer for at least 9 weeks.
| Deferred for | Extra a week | New weekly amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £13.94 | £255.24 |
| 2 years | £27.88 | £269.18 |
| 5 years | £69.71 | £311.01 |
The catch is that you give up the payments you would have had. It takes about 17.3 years of the higher pension to make up for what you missed, ignoring tax and future rises. Deferring can suit people who are still working and paying higher-rate tax, or who expect to live a long time.
Working past State Pension age
You can work and get your State Pension at the same time. Once you reach State Pension age, you stop paying employee National Insurance on your wages, which gives a noticeable boost to take-home pay. Income tax still applies, and your State Pension counts as income, so it may push some of your earnings into a higher band.
Other ages that matter
| Age | What happens |
|---|---|
| 55 (57 from 6 April 2028) | You can usually start taking private and workplace pensions |
| 60 | Free NHS prescriptions in England; free bus travel in Scotland and Wales |
| State Pension age | State Pension, Pension Credit, free bus pass in England |
| Pension age | Winter Fuel Payment, recovered through tax if your income is above £35,000 |
Planning around your date
If you want to stop work before State Pension age, you need other income to bridge the gap. The FIRE calculator shows how much you would need, and the workplace pension calculator shows how your pension could grow. If your income at State Pension age will be low, check whether you can get Pension Credit.
Help if your income is low
Pension Credit tops up weekly income to £238.00 for a single person and £363.25 for a couple in 2026/27, with extra amounts for disability, caring and some housing costs. It is means-tested, and you can claim once you (or, for a couple, both of you) reach State Pension age.
Pension Credit matters more than its size suggests. It unlocks help with rent and council tax, a free TV licence for people aged 75 or over, and Cold Weather Payments. Many people who are entitled never claim it. The Pension Credit calculator gives an estimate.
A full State Pension is just above the guarantee
The full new State Pension of £241.30 a week is just above the single Pension Credit guarantee of £238.00. People with a smaller State Pension, few savings and little other income are the most likely to qualify.
Couples and partners
Under the new State Pension, each person builds up their own entitlement from their own National Insurance record. You cannot claim on a partner’s record, as some people could under the old system. Each partner reaches State Pension age based on their own date of birth, so one may get their pension years before the other.
That gap can matter for planning. While one partner is under State Pension age, the couple usually claims Universal Credit rather than Pension Credit if they need means-tested help. If you are married or in a civil partnership and your partner dies, you may be able to inherit some of their State Pension, depending on when you each reached State Pension age and your National Insurance records.
Using the calculator
- Enter your date of birth. The calculator shows your State Pension age, the exact date and how long until then.
- Under “More options”, enter how many qualifying years you expect to have by State Pension age. It shows your weekly amount in today’s money.
- Enter a number of weeks to defer to see how much extra you would get and how long it takes to break even.
- Share the link to keep your result, or to check a partner’s date.
The amounts assume no contracted-out deduction. For your exact figure, use your official forecast on GOV.UK, which reads your real National Insurance record.
Common mistakes
- Assuming it starts automatically. You need to claim. If you do nothing, it is deferred.
- Confusing State Pension age with pension access age. Private pensions can be taken earlier, from 55 or 57.
- Paying for years that will not help. Check your forecast before buying voluntary contributions.
- Forgetting about tax. The State Pension uses up most of your Personal Allowance, so other pension income is likely to be taxed.
- Relying on today’s timetable. If you are decades away, State Pension age could change before you reach it.