Reviewed by Mustafa Bilgic
Founder, WebCalculator
State Pension age rules taken from Schedule 4 of the Pensions Act 1995, as shown on legislation.gov.uk on 24 September 2026. Estimates only, not financial advice.
Enter your date of birth to see the exact day you reach State Pension age and how long you have to go. The dates come straight from the tables in UK pensions law, including the move to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
Rules for England, Scotland and Wales
State Pension age is set by Schedule 4 of the Pensions Act 1995, as changed by the Pensions Acts 2007, 2011 and 2014. For anyone born on or after 6 December 1953 it depends only on your date of birth, and the rules are the same for men and women.
| Date of birth | State Pension age |
|---|---|
| Before 6 October 1954 | Already reached, by 6 September 2020 |
| 6 October 1954 to 5 April 1960 | 66 |
| 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961 | 66 plus 1 to 11 months |
| 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 | 67 |
| 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978 | A set date, 6 May 2044 to 6 March 2046 |
| 6 April 1978 or later | 68 |
If you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, your State Pension age is 66 plus a set number of months, so the change happens month by month between May 2026 and February 2028. People born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977 have a State Pension age of 67.
| Born | Age | Reached |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Apr 1960 to 5 May 1960 | 66 and 1 month | 6 May 2026 to 5 Jun 2026 |
| 6 May 1960 to 5 Jun 1960 | 66 and 2 months | 6 Jul 2026 to 5 Aug 2026 |
| 6 Jun 1960 to 5 Jul 1960 | 66 and 3 months | 6 Sep 2026 to 5 Oct 2026 |
| 6 Jul 1960 to 5 Aug 1960 | 66 and 4 months | 6 Nov 2026 to 5 Dec 2026 |
| 6 Aug 1960 to 5 Sep 1960 | 66 and 5 months | 6 Jan 2027 to 5 Feb 2027 |
| 6 Sep 1960 to 5 Oct 1960 | 66 and 6 months | 6 Mar 2027 to 5 Apr 2027 |
| 6 Oct 1960 to 5 Nov 1960 | 66 and 7 months | 6 May 2027 to 5 Jun 2027 |
| 6 Nov 1960 to 5 Dec 1960 | 66 and 8 months | 6 Jul 2027 to 5 Aug 2027 |
| 6 Dec 1960 to 5 Jan 1961 | 66 and 9 months | 6 Sep 2027 to 5 Oct 2027 |
| 6 Jan 1961 to 5 Feb 1961 | 66 and 10 months | 6 Nov 2027 to 5 Dec 2027 |
| 6 Feb 1961 to 5 Mar 1961 | 66 and 11 months | 6 Jan 2028 to 5 Feb 2028 |
The law also fixes three birthdays that have no matching day: if you were born on 31 July 1960 you reach State Pension age on 30 November 2026, on 31 December 1960 it is 30 September 2027, and on 31 January 1961 it is 30 November 2027.
Under current law, people born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978 reach State Pension age on a set date between 2044 and 2046, and anyone born on or after 6 April 1978 reaches it at 68.
| Born | State Pension age reached |
|---|---|
| 6 Apr 1977 to 5 May 1977 | 6 May 2044 |
| 6 May 1977 to 5 Jun 1977 | 6 July 2044 |
| 6 Jun 1977 to 5 Jul 1977 | 6 September 2044 |
| 6 Jul 1977 to 5 Aug 1977 | 6 November 2044 |
| 6 Aug 1977 to 5 Sep 1977 | 6 January 2045 |
| 6 Sep 1977 to 5 Oct 1977 | 6 March 2045 |
| 6 Oct 1977 to 5 Nov 1977 | 6 May 2045 |
| 6 Nov 1977 to 5 Dec 1977 | 6 July 2045 |
| 6 Dec 1977 to 5 Jan 1978 | 6 September 2045 |
| 6 Jan 1978 to 5 Feb 1978 | 6 November 2045 |
| 6 Feb 1978 to 5 Mar 1978 | 6 January 2046 |
| 6 Mar 1978 to 5 Apr 1978 | 6 March 2046 |
It is the earliest date you can get your State Pension, but you do not get it automatically: you have to claim it. It is not a retirement age either. GOV.UK confirms you can keep working after you reach it, and the old default retirement age of 65 no longer exists.
Workplace and personal pensions work differently. GOV.UK says you can usually take money from them after you are 55, and this normal minimum pension age is due to rise from 55 to 57 from 6 April 2028. The rules on this page are in the Pensions Act 1995, which covers England, Wales and Scotland; if you live in Northern Ireland, check your date on nidirect.
Once you know your date, estimate how much you could get with the State Pension calculator, see whether buying missing National Insurance years would help, or work out what you gain by waiting with the State Pension deferral calculator. If you plan to stop work earlier, the early retirement calculator and the pension drawdown calculator show how private savings could cover the gap.
From your State Pension age, which depends only on your date of birth. It is 66 for people born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960, 67 for people born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977, and 68 for anyone born on or after 6 April 1978.
Yes. For people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 it is 66 plus 1 to 11 months, so they reach it between 6 May 2026 and 5 February 2028. Anyone born on or after 6 March 1961 has a State Pension age of 67 or more.
Under current law it rises between 2044 and 2046 for people born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978, and it is 68 for anyone born on or after 6 April 1978. The age is reviewed regularly, so this could change.
Yes for anyone born on or after 6 December 1953. Women born earlier had a lower State Pension age that rose in stages, which is why the calculator asks for your sex only if you were born before that date.
No. GOV.UK says you will not get your new State Pension automatically and you have to claim it. If you do not claim, it is deferred, which can increase the weekly amount you get later.
Usually yes. GOV.UK says you can usually take money from a workplace or personal pension after you are 55, depending on your scheme rules. The normal minimum pension age is due to rise to 57 from 6 April 2028.