Your State Pension age is the earliest age you can start getting your State Pension. It depends on your date of birth, and it is rising in stages: to 67 right now, and to 68 for people born after 5 April 1977. This guide explains the current rules and how to check your own exact date.
Key points
✓Currently 66, for anyone born on or before 5 April 1960
✓Rising to 67 in stages between 2026 and 2028, for people born 6 April 1960 to 5 April 1977
✓Rising to 68 for people born after 5 April 1977, reaching 68 outright for anyone born after 5 April 1978
✓The 67 to 68 rise is subject to a further government review, and Parliament would need to approve any change
✓Use GOV.UK's own checker for your exact date, since it depends on your date of birth to the day
What is the State Pension age now?
If you were born on or before 5 April 1960, your State Pension age is 66, and you've already reached it.
State Pension age is not the same for everyone: it depends on your exact date of birth, and it is currently in the middle of rising in stages. It may also be different from the age you can take a private or workplace pension, which is currently 55 (rising to 57 from April 2028).
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If you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 April 1977, your State Pension age is between 66 and 67, on a specific date that depends on your date of birth. The increase from 66 to 67 is being phased in between 2026 and 2028. For people born in the first part of this window, it works out as 66 years plus a number of months:
Date of birth
State Pension age
6 April 1960 to 5 May 1960
66 years, 1 month
6 July 1960 to 5 August 1960
66 years, 4 months
6 October 1960 to 5 November 1960
66 years, 7 months
6 January 1961 to 5 February 1961
66 years, 10 months
6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977
67
Everyone born from 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 has a flat State Pension age of 67.
The rise to 68
If you were born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978, your State Pension age is between 67 and 68, on a specific date depending on your date of birth. Everyone born after 5 April 1978 has a flat State Pension age of 68.
The timetable for this rise, from 67 to 68, is under a legal duty to be reviewed at least once every 5 years, and could change. Before any change could take effect, Parliament would need to approve it.
Check your exact date
Because State Pension age depends on your date of birth to the day, the tables above are a guide, not your exact date. Use GOV.UK's own checker, which asks for your date of birth and gives you the exact day you reach State Pension age.
✓Yes: GOV.UK's checker also tells you the date you reach Pension Credit qualifying age, which is the same as your State Pension age
✓Yes: Once you know your date, you can check what you're on track to get with a State Pension forecast
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Frequently asked questions
What is the State Pension age?
Currently 66, for anyone born on or before 5 April 1960. It's rising to 67 in stages between 2026 and 2028 for people born 6 April 1960 to 5 April 1977, and to 68 for people born after 5 April 1977, reaching 68 outright for anyone born after 5 April 1978.
Is the State Pension age really rising to 68?
Yes, for anyone born after 5 April 1978, under the government's current timetable. People born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978 reach a date between 67 and 68 depending on their exact date of birth. The timetable is reviewed at least once every 5 years and could still change, but Parliament would need to approve any change before it could take effect.
When exactly will State Pension age reach 67?
The rise from 66 to 67 is being phased in between 2026 and 2028. People born 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961 reach a date of 66 years plus a set number of months, depending on their date of birth; everyone born 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 has a flat State Pension age of 67.
How do I find my exact State Pension age?
Use the official checker at gov.uk/state-pension-age. It asks for your date of birth and gives you the exact date you reach State Pension age, since it depends on your date of birth to the day rather than a single age for everyone in a given year.
Does State Pension age affect Pension Credit?
Yes. The Pension Credit qualifying age is the same as your State Pension age, so as your State Pension age rises, so does the age you can start claiming Pension Credit.
Know Your Rights UK. "State Pension Age: Current Age and the Rise to 68." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/benefits/state-pension/age