State Pension age
Your State Pension age is fixed by your date of birth. From 6 October 1954 it is the same for men and women. Two windows do not land on a round birthday.
Key takeaways
- Birthdays from 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960 reach State Pension age at 66.
- Birthdays from 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961 reach it at 66 plus one to eleven months.
- Birthdays from 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 reach it at 67.
- Birthdays from 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978 use fixed dates in the rise to 68. From 6 April 1978 the age is 68.
- You cannot claim before that date. Working longer does not move it unless you defer, and deferral raises the weekly amount rather than paying a lump sum.
- Dates of birth before 6 October 1954 use the older men's and women's timetables. This site's calculator does not cover them.
What State Pension age is
State Pension age is the earliest date you can claim. It is set by your date of birth. From 6 October 1954 the timetable is the same for men and women. Extra years of work do not bring that date forward.
Use the age calculator for a specific birthday. The bands below are the published groups.
The timetable
| Date of birth | State Pension age |
|---|---|
| 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960 | 66th birthday |
| 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961 | 66 years and 1 to 11 months |
| 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 | 67th birthday |
| 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978 | Fixed dates, rising from 67 to 68 |
| 6 April 1978 onwards | 68th birthday |
The two rises
April 1960 to March 1961
Someone born on 6 April 1960 reaches State Pension age at 66 years and 1 month. Someone born on 6 February 1961 reaches it at 66 years and 11 months. From 6 March 1961 the age is 67.
April 1977 to April 1978
The rise from 67 to 68 uses one pension date for each birth month, from May 2044 to March 2046. From 6 April 1978 the age is 68. Parliament can still change that later rise.
Deferral
You can put off claiming. On the new State Pension, deferral increases the weekly amount by 1% for every nine weeks you delay. It does not pay a lump sum. The pension date itself does not move because you kept working.
You have to claim
The pension is not paid automatically on that date. National Insurance on earnings stops at State Pension age. The claim is made through GOV.UK.
Reviewed by
Chartered Financial Planner
FCA, CFP® and FCII. Director of Mason Beaufort Financial Planning Co Ltd, specialising in UK pensions since 2001.