State Pension age (SPA) is the earliest age at which you can claim your State Pension. It's not the same as the age you can access workplace or private pensions, and it's been rising steadily. If you're planning for retirement, knowing your personal SPA is one of the first things to pin down.
Current State Pension age
As of 2026, the State Pension age is 66 for both men and women. This equalisation was completed in November 2018 after women's SPA was gradually increased from 60 — a change that caused significant controversy, particularly among women born in the 1950s who felt they weren't given adequate notice.
Planned increases
The SPA is set to rise further in stages:
Rise to 67: The increase from 66 to 67 is happening between May 2026 and March 2028. If you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, your SPA is somewhere between 66 and 67 — the exact date depends on your birthday. Anyone born on or after 6 March 1961 has a SPA of 67.
Rise to 68: Originally planned for 2044-2046, the increase to 68 has been subject to several reviews. The government periodically reviews SPA based on life expectancy data, fiscal pressures, and fairness considerations. The exact timing could change — previous reviews have both accelerated and maintained the schedule.
There have been suggestions of a further rise to 69 or beyond for future generations, but nothing is legislated beyond 68.
How to check your State Pension age
The simplest way is to use the State Pension age calculator on GOV.UK. Enter your date of birth and gender, and it tells you exactly when you'll reach SPA. For anyone born after March 1961, the answer is currently 67 — though this could change if the government legislates further increases.
You can also check your State Pension forecast, which tells you not just when you can claim but how much you're likely to receive based on your National Insurance record to date.
The gap between private and State Pension ages
You can currently access defined contribution pensions from age 55 (rising to 57 from April 2028). If your State Pension age is 67, that creates a potential gap of 10 years where you might need to fund your living costs from private pensions, savings, or continued work.
This gap matters enormously for financial planning. Drawing heavily on private pensions before SPA means there's less to supplement your State Pension later. Conversely, if you can afford to leave private pensions invested until SPA or beyond, they have longer to grow.
What if you can't work until State Pension age?
Not everyone can keep working until 66 or 67. Health problems, caring responsibilities, redundancy, or physically demanding jobs can force people to stop working before they can claim the State Pension. If you find yourself in this situation, several options exist:
Private pensions — accessible from 55 (57 from 2028), these can bridge the gap. But withdrawing earlier means the pot has less time to grow and needs to last longer.
Savings and investments — ISAs, general investment accounts, and other savings can provide income before SPA.
Benefits — depending on circumstances, you might qualify for Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, or other support. Pension Credit may be available if you've reached the qualifying age (currently linked to SPA).
Part-time or flexible work — reducing hours rather than stopping entirely can help bridge the gap while keeping some income flowing.
Impact on retirement planning
Rising State Pension age fundamentally changes retirement planning. If you were born in the 1960s and assumed you'd retire at 60 or 65, the reality is now 67 or later. This means either working longer, saving more, or accepting a lower income in retirement.
The most practical response is to build your own pension pot as large as possible. Maximise employer contributions through your workplace pension, consider additional contributions to a SIPP, and use your ISA allowance for tax-efficient savings outside pensions. The less reliant you are on the State Pension alone, the more flexibility you have over when you actually stop working.
Deferring beyond State Pension age
You don't have to claim your State Pension as soon as you reach SPA. Deferring increases your weekly pension by about 5.8% per year. If you're still earning and don't need the income, deferring can make sense — but run the numbers carefully. You need to live approximately 17 years after starting to claim the higher amount to come out ahead.