State Pension Age Set to Rise – What You Need to Know
Hey everyone, let’s talk about something that’s going to affect a lot of us in the near future—changes to the State Pension age. If you’re planning your retirement or know someone who is, you’ll want to pay close attention.
Starting next year, the State Pension age will begin rising from 66 to 67, and this change will be fully implemented by 2028. This has actually been in legislation since 2014, and the government brought it forward by eight years under the Pensions Act 2014. If you were born between March 6, 1961, and April 5, 1977, you’ll now have to wait until you’re 67 to start claiming your State Pension.
This isn't the last change, either. There's already a plan to increase the State Pension age from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046. However, with financial pressures and the growing cost of pensions—currently around £125 billion per year—there's speculation that this could be moved forward even sooner. Experts warn that if public finances continue to struggle, we may see this rise happening much earlier than expected.
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Now, if you're affected by these changes, don’t worry—you’ll receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) well in advance. But it’s still a good idea to check your State Pension age using the government’s online tool. This will help you plan your retirement, see when you qualify for Pension Credit, and even check when you can get free bus travel.
And here’s something else to consider—if you have gaps in your National Insurance (NI) contributions, you may be able to top them up to boost your pension payments. The government has extended the deadline for making voluntary NI contributions until April 5, 2025, allowing people to fill gaps going back as far as 2006. But after that deadline, only the standard six-year window will apply. If you’re unsure whether you need to top up, you can check your NI record online and see if it’s worth making additional payments.
One important point—while topping up your NI record can be beneficial, it’s not always necessary. You need at least 10 qualifying years of contributions to get any State Pension and 35 years to receive the full amount. If you’re close to retiring, it might be worth looking into, but if you have several years left to work, you may not need to worry.
Now, there’s also a bigger question about the long-term future of the State Pension. With people living longer and costs rising, future governments will have to decide how sustainable it really is. Some experts warn that any future changes, like bringing forward the rise to 68, could disproportionately affect lower-income workers who may have fewer private pension savings to rely on.
So, what should you do now? If you’re nearing retirement, check your State Pension forecast, see if you need to fill any gaps in your NI record, and start planning accordingly. If you’re younger, it’s a reminder to think ahead and explore other ways to secure your financial future beyond just the State Pension.
This is an ongoing conversation, and we’ll keep an eye on any updates. In the meantime, make sure you’re prepared and informed—your future self will thank you!
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