# State Pension age rising from 66 to 67: who is affected and how to check yours

> State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 for people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, one month at a time. This guide explains the…

- URL: https://centiview.com/uk-money/state-pension-age-rising-from-66-to-67
- Published: 2026-10-14T21:38:00.000Z
- Figures checked: 2026-10-14
- Edited by David A
- Topic: Pensions (UK)
- Publisher: Centiview (Persie Ltd, London)
- General information only, not financial advice

State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 for people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, one month at a time. This guide explains the timetable, a worked example, the review under way and how to check your own date.

## What State Pension age is and why it is changing

State Pension age is the earliest age at which you can start receiving the State Pension, the regular payment based on your National Insurance record. GOV.UK points out that it can differ from the age at which you can access a workplace or personal pension, so the two should not be confused. For many years the age has been rising in stages, in line with the Pensions Act 2014 and earlier legislation. In the 2026/27 tax year the current stage is the gradual move from 66 to 67, which began for people born on or after 6 April 1960 and affects those who reach 66 from May 2026 onwards.

The rise is not a single jump. Instead of a fixed new age for everyone, each group born one month later has a State Pension age one month later. Someone born in the first month of the range reaches State Pension age at 66 years and 1 month, while someone born a month after that reaches it at 66 years and 2 months, and so on. The steps continue until those born from 6 March 1961 onward, whose State Pension age is simply their 67th birthday. This staged approach avoids a cliff edge where two people born days apart would be separated by a full year.

## The timetable in detail

GOV.UK's State Pension age timetable sets out the 11 monthly steps in the move to 67. People born from 6 April 1960 to 5 May 1960 reach State Pension age at 66 years and 1 month. The next band, 6 May to 5 June 1960, reaches it at 66 years and 2 months, and the pattern continues one month at a time through to people born from 6 February to 5 March 1961, who reach it at 66 years and 11 months. Anyone born on or after 6 March 1961 reaches it at 67. Which? describes the same pattern and notes that the last of the monthly steps falls in early 2028, with the first group of 67-year-olds reaching State Pension age from 6 March 2028.

> **Key numbers** Born 6 April 1960 to 5 May 1960: 66 years and 1 month. Born 6 February 1961 to 5 March 1961: 66 years and 11 months. Born 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977: 67. Source: GOV.UK timetable, checked 14 October 2026.

People born after 5 April 1969 but before 6 April 1977 already had a State Pension age of 67 under the Pensions Act 2007, so for them the 66 to 67 change does not apply. People born before 6 April 1960 are also outside it, because they have already reached the age that applied to them. In short, this guide mainly concerns people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, which at the date of checking means people now aged roughly 65 to 66.

## A worked example

The arithmetic is simple once you know your band. For example, suppose someone was born on 20 November 1960. That date falls in the band 6 November to 5 December 1960, which has a State Pension age of 66 years and 8 months. Their 66th birthday is 20 November 2026, and adding 8 months gives 20 July 2027. As a second illustration, someone born on 10 February 1961 falls in the 6 February to 5 March 1961 band, at 66 years and 11 months. Their 66th birthday is 10 February 2027, and adding 11 months gives 10 January 2028. These dates are illustrative only and use the timetable bands as published on GOV.UK.

## Who this affects, and who it does not

The State Pension age rules described here apply to the State Pension, not to every pension or benefit. They do not set the age at which you can take money from a workplace or personal pension, which is a separate rule. They also do not decide when you stop work: GOV.UK notes that the default retirement age of 65 no longer exists, so many people carry on working after State Pension age. To receive any new State Pension you need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record, according to GOV.UK, so State Pension age is only one part of whether and how much you receive. The pages read for this guide do not describe separate State Pension age rules for different UK nations.

## The further rise to 68 and the review

Under current legislation, the next change is a rise from 67 to 68. GOV.UK's timetable shows people born on or after 6 April 1978 reaching State Pension age on their 68th birthday, with people born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978 on a staged scale from May 2044 to March 2046. For instance, someone born between 6 April and 5 May 1977 reaches it on 6 May 2044. However, that timetable could change as a result of reviews. The Pensions Act 2014 requires the government to review State Pension age periodically, and the third review was launched on 21 July 2025.

The review draws on two reports. An independent report, led by Dr Suzy Morrissey, looks at the factors the government should weigh in future, including whether linking State Pension age to life expectancy is fair between generations and how State Pension age affects long-term sustainability. The Government Actuary's Department is producing a separate report on life expectancy. At the date checked, the GOV.UK collection page lists only the terms of reference and a closed call for evidence, with neither report shown as published. No change to the legislated timetable has been confirmed on the pages read, so figures for people born from 6 April 1977 should be treated as current law rather than as certain.

## Common mistakes and free help

- Assuming one State Pension age applies to everyone: it depends on your date of birth, so the monthly bands matter.
- Mixing up State Pension age with the minimum age for taking a workplace or personal pension.
- Relying on an old chart or forecast: older material may pre-date the current timetable.
- Forgetting that State Pension age is not the same as the date you must stop working.

Free, impartial help is available from MoneyHelper, run by the Money and Pensions Service, and from the Pension Service through GOV.UK. Many people find it useful to run the GOV.UK State Pension age checker, which needs only a date of birth, and to check their State Pension forecast, which shows how much they are on course to receive. Neither tool costs anything, and neither requires a paid adviser.

## Check before you act

Rules and dates can change, particularly while a review is under way. It can be worth confirming your own State Pension age on the official GOV.UK pages linked below before making any plans that depend on it.

### Sources
- [GOV.UK, State Pension age timetable](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pension-age-timetable/state-pension-age-timetable)
- [GOV.UK, Check your State Pension age](https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age)
- [GOV.UK, New State Pension eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/eligibility)
- [GOV.UK, Third State Pension age review](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/third-state-pension-age-review)
- [GOV.UK, Third review independent report terms of reference](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/third-review-of-state-pension-age-independent-report-terms-of-reference/third-review-of-state-pension-age-independent-report-terms-of-reference)
- [Which?, The state pension age is about to rise](https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/the-state-pension-age-is-about-to-rise-when-will-you-qualify-acvYJ8U38PLJ)