State pension age increase to 68 in UK: what DWP confirms

The state pension age increase to 68 in the UK is already set out in law, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has restated the timetable. Under it, the age rises from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046 for people born on or after 6 April 1977. The DWP also says that timetable could still change.

The headline date is therefore a legal starting point, not a final word. Nobody born before 6 April 1977 is moved to 68 by this step, but younger workers should treat it as a planning assumption rather than a certainty.

State pension age rise to 68: what the DWP announcement says

The DWP set out the position in a statement quoted by the Manchester Evening News and the Liverpool Echo. It said: “Under the Pensions Act 2007 the State Pension age for men and women will increase from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046.” The Manchester Evening News also reported that a timetable for those affected was published with the Pensions Act 2014.

The DWP said the Pensions Act 2014 provides for a review of the State Pension age at least once every five years, based on the idea that people should be able to spend a certain proportion of their adult life drawing a State Pension. It added that proposals to change the age would “have to go through Parliament before becoming law”.

The DWP said the government is not planning to revise the timetables for the rise to 66 or 67. It was clear on 68, however: “the timetable for the increase in the State Pension age from 67 to 68 could change as a result of the review.” In response to a petition, the DWP said the Third State Pension Age Review is under way.

State pension age changes from 2026 to 2028, then 68

The age is currently 66 and is due to reach 67 by 2028, according to the Manchester Evening News. The Bradford Telegraph and Argus reported that the change to 67 is due to finish in March 2028. The step to 68 then follows in monthly stages, which is why birthdays matter so much.

Zoe Alexander, executive director of policy and advocacy at Pensions UK, said: “Because the change happens in monthly steps, a single day’s difference in your birthday can shift your state pension age by weeks or months.” The DWP timetable for the rise from 67 to 68 is below.

How the state pension age increase affects you: a worked example

Take two people born a day apart. Someone born on 5 June 1977 falls in the 6 May to 5 June band and reaches State Pension age on 6 July 2044. Someone born on 6 June 1977 falls in the next band and waits until 6 September 2044, two months longer for one day’s difference in birth date.

The bigger effect is the gap between stopping work and the State Pension starting. The Bradford Telegraph and Argus quoted Tim Grimsditch of Unbiased saying that private pensions can generally be accessed from 55, rising to 57 in April 2028. He described the gap before the State Pension as the practical issue for most people.

Suppose someone born in 1980 stops work at 63 through ill health. Their State Pension age would be 68 on the current timetable, leaving five years to cover. The full new State Pension is quoted at £12,547.60 a year, so five years at that rate would be £62,738. That is what they would not receive in that period, and the money would have to come from savings, a private pension or other income. This is an illustration at today’s full rate; the amount anyone gets depends on their National Insurance record.

Why the DWP date for 68 is not the last word

The timetable sits alongside a live argument. A petition on the Parliament website calls for the age to be cut to 65 and, according to AOL, has about 80,000 signatures. At 100,000 it would be considered for a debate. The DWP replied: “There are no plans to reduce State Pension age to 65.”

The DWP pointed to ONS projections that, in 2026, men aged 66 in the UK can expect to live a further 19.3 years and women a further 21.9 years. The Work and Pensions Committee has raised concerns about people who cannot keep working. It said the last rise, from 65 to 66, “caused the income poverty rate among 65-year-olds to more than double”, and suggested the government consider more Universal Credit support for 66-year-olds.

The government has set no policy beyond the review. The DWP says it will weigh fairness and sustainability, ONS life expectancy projections, the Government Actuary’s findings and lessons from previous increases. Until it reports, the 2044 to 2046 dates stand but are not guaranteed.

What to do now

Start by checking your own date on gov.uk. Ms Alexander of Pensions UK said: “You can check when you can claim your pension via gov.uk.” She added that once you know your date you should consider whether there is a gap between when you plan to stop work and when the State Pension begins.

Next, get a State Pension forecast and list the pensions you have built up, as Mr Grimsditch suggested for anyone within a decade of stopping work. He said workplace and personal pensions benefit from tax relief, and noted that the annual cash ISA limit for under-65s falls to £12,000 from April 2027. For anyone far from retirement, the sensible approach is to plan around 68 while accepting that the review may move the date. For decisions about when to draw a pension, Mr Grimsditch advised speaking to a qualified financial adviser.

Your questions answered

When can I retire if I was born in 1961?

The sources do not give month-by-month dates for 1961 births, so use the gov.uk State Pension age checker for yours. The Bradford Telegraph and Argus reported that the rise from 66 to 67 affects people born from March 1961 and finishes in March 2028. The step to 68 applies only to people born from 6 April 1977, so it does not affect those born in 1961.

How much is the full new State Pension?

The Bradford Telegraph and Argus put the full new State Pension at £241.30 a week, or £12,547.60 a year. What you receive depends on your National Insurance record. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told MPs the full new State Pension is rising by £575 this year, under the triple lock.

Could the date for 68 still change?

Yes. The DWP says the timetable for the rise from 67 to 68 could change as a result of the review now under way. Any change would have to go through Parliament before becoming law, so the current timetable stands until then.