State pension age review: report not due before spring 2027

The independent report at the heart of the state pension age review is unlikely to be published before spring 2027, according to its author. Dr Suzy Morrissey told BBC Money Box that further rises are possible, saying: “We have got age increases happening, and so we know that we’re likely to get to 68 in due course. So, anything is possible in terms of any increasing. 70 is not unusual in other countries.”

Chronicle Live reported that once Dr Morrissey has finished, the government will consider her findings and decide whether the current plans need to change. Nothing has been decided yet.

State pension age increase: what the reviewer says about health and work

Dr Morrissey said life expectancy is still rising, though not as quickly as it was. Healthy life expectancy, the number of years people typically live in good health, is moving the other way. “Healthy life expectancy is actually decreasing. So we’re spending fewer years in good health,” she said, as reported by Chronicle Live.

She also gave employment figures. The employment rate for people aged 50 to 64 is only 70%, falling to 42% in the year before state pension age. Put simply, of every 100 people in that final year, 42 are in work.

Asked whether it is hard to find a job over 50, she replied: “I think it’s fair to say that that is a challenge.” She added that people who talk about working later in life often say flexibility is important.

Her remit, set out in the call for evidence on GOV.UK, is to recommend a framework for future decisions. It covers the merits of linking state pension age to life expectancy and the experience of other countries with automatic adjustment mechanisms, which the UK does not currently use.

When will state pension age rise again? The current timetable

GOV.UK says the state pension age is 66 for both men and women. It is set to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and to 68 between 2044 and 2046. Chronicle Live gives the first rise as gradual, running from April 2026 to April 2028.

The Pensions Act 2014 requires the government to review the age regularly, and earlier reviews concluded in 2017 and 2023. The third review rests on two reports, Dr Morrissey’s and one from the Government Actuary.

The Government Actuary must advise whether, on average, a person reaching pensionable age in a given period can expect to spend a specified proportion of adult life in retirement. That report must also assess the current legislative timings for the rise to 68.

State pension age review: what happens next

The earliest sign of direction is Dr Morrissey’s report, which she says is unlikely before spring 2027. The government will then weigh it alongside the Government Actuary’s advice. The sources give no date for a decision.

The review sits alongside a revived Pensions Commission, which will look at retirement savings more widely. Pensions Minister Torsten Bell said its aim is “building a strong, fair and sustainable pension system fit for the middle of the twenty first century”.

For now the legislated timetable stands. You can check your own age on GOV.UK, and the State Pension forecast tool shows how much you could get, when, and whether you can increase it. GOV.UK warns that results may change because the age is regularly reviewed. You cannot use the forecast if you are already claiming or have deferred.

Your questions answered

How has the UK State Pension age changed?

From 1948 until 2010 it was 60 for women and 65 for men. The Pensions Act 1995 equalised the two, raising the women’s age from 60 to 65 between 2010 and 2020. It is now 66, with rises to 67 and 68 legislated.

What happens when you have paid 35 years of National Insurance?

For people reaching State Pension age from 6 April 2016, the call for evidence says the full new State Pension is payable after 35 qualifying years. Pre-2016 records are recognised through transitional arrangements, and some pension starts to build from 10 qualifying years.

What is the best age to retire?

The sources give no single answer. State Pension age is the earliest you can claim, and it may differ from your workplace or personal pension age. You can keep working beyond it, as the default retirement age of 65 no longer exists. You can also defer claiming, which may increase your pension later.