The State Pension age is rising to 67 in phases from April 6, 2026 (Image: Getty)
State Pension payments will be delayed for millions of people with 66th birthdays that fall from May 6 onwards following a law change.
The State Pension age in the UK is set in law and under the Pension Act 2014 is legislated to rise from age 66 to 67 in phases over the next two years. The age increase is being phased in between April 2026 to 2028 and as the process is being done in stages, it will impact people who have a 66th birthday that falls within this two-year time frame, meaning some pensioners face a longer wait before they become eligible to start claiming their State Pension. The change means that people with a birthday that falls between April 6, 1960 and March 5, 1961, will still be eligible to claim their State Pension at age 66, but not everyone will be able to do so immediately, meaning a delay in claiming payments.
Anyone due to turn 66 between these dates can no longer immediately claim their State Pension from their 66th birthday and will instead have to wait a specified number of months, depending on when they were born. As such, some people will be closer to age 66 when they get their State Pension, while others will be only a month or two away from their 67th birthday by the time they are allowed to claim their first payment.
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: “The Pensions Act 2014 brought the increase in the State Pension age from 66 to 67 forward by 8 years. The State Pension age for men and women will now increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
“The Government also changed the way in which the increase in State Pension age is phased so that rather than reaching State Pension age on a specific date, people born between April 6, 1960 and March 5, 1961 will reach their State Pension age at 66 years and the specified number of months.
“For people born after April 5, 1969, but before April 6, 1977, under the Pensions Act 2007, State Pension age was already 67.”
The DWP has set out the timetable for the graudal increase of the State Pension age to 67, with the process getting under way from last month.
The timetable delays the point at which the State Pension can be claimed in one month increments, so pensioners with a 66th birthday this month that falls between May 6 and June 5 will have to wait an extra two months after their birthday until they can start getting payments.
For example, if you were born on May 6, 1960, then you will now become eligible to claim your State Pension on July 6, 2026, when you are exactly 66 years and two months old.
The DWP has confirmed the following timetable for the State Pension age increase to 67, which will affect when people with birthdays between April 6, 1960, and March 5, 1961 can claim their State Pension:
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Born between April 6, 1960, and May 5, 1960 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 1 month
Born between May 6, 1960 – June 5, 1960- Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 2 months
Born between June 6, 1960 – July 5, 1960- Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 3 months
Born between July 6, 1960 – August 5, 1960 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 4 months
Born between August 6, 1960 – September 5, 1960 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 5 months
Born between September 6, 1960 – October 5, 1960 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 6 months
Born between October 6, 1960 – November 5, 1960 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 7 months
Born between November 6, 1960 – December 5, 1960 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 8 months
Born between December 6, 1960 – January 5, 1961 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 9 months
Born between January 6, 1961 – February 5, 1961 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 10 months
Born between February 6, 1961 – March 5, 1961 – Reach State Pension age at 66 years and 11 months
Born between March 6, 1961 – April 5, 1977 – Reach State Pension age at 67
Everyone born after April 5, 1977, will get their State Pension at age 67, although a further rise to age 68 is planned between 2044 and 2046.
But the government could bring the age increase to 68 forward earlier than planned as part of a review into the State Pension age announced in July last year, meaning younger generations face an even longer wait to get their first payment.
The review comes amid concerns that adults aren’t saving enough into private pensions for their retirement and will be £800 poorer by 2050.
Announcing the revival of the Pensions Commission last year, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “People deserve to know that they will have a decent income in retirement – with all the security, dignity and freedom that brings. But the truth is, that is not the reality facing many people, especially if you’re low paid, or self-employed.
“The Pensions Commission laid the groundwork, and now, two decades later, we are reviving it to tackle the barriers that stop too many saving in the first place.”
