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State pension age set to increase to 68 on this exact date
The Government’s current timetable will raise the State Pension age to 68 between 2044 and 2046, meaning affected people will have to wait an extra year compared with claiming at 67. The change matters to people planning their retirement, although discussions about bringing it forward would require a change in the law and the existing timetable remains in place.
The first people affected are due to reach State Pension age on 6 May 2044; they include people born between 6 April and 5 May 1977. The age is already rising from 66 to 67, a process due to finish by April 2028. The amount paid depends on a person’s National Insurance record, and a free Government calculator can check an individual’s State Pension age.
In short
- State Pension age is scheduled to reach 68 between 2044 and 2046.
- The first affected people are due to reach it on 6 May 2044.
- The rise from 66 to 67 is due to finish by April 2028.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Keeping the planned increase to 68 could help protect the State Pension system as people live longer and the number of pensioners grows relative to the working-age population. A gradual timetable gives individuals and employers time to plan, and may help sustain public finances and pension support for future generations.
The case against
Raising the age means affected people must wait longer for State Pension income, which can be especially difficult for those in poor health, physically demanding work or with limited private savings. Critics could argue that a fixed timetable does not reflect differences in life expectancy or ability to keep working, and that people have planned their retirement around the existing rules.