State Pension Age Calculator: when can you claim?
The rise from 66 to 67 began in April 2026 and completes in April 2028 — the first increase since 2020, and one MPs say the government hasn't properly assessed. Enter your date of birth to see your pension age and the date you can claim.
Your date of birth
Why this is in the news
On 10 July 2026 the cross-party Work and Pensions Committee published its Transition to State Pension Age report, warning that the rise to 67 is happening with impact assessments that are over a decade old. Its findings:
- 57% of people are no longer in paid work in the year before pension age — often for health reasons, not by choice.
- When the pension age last rose (to 66, in 2020), poverty among people in the year below it more than doubled, from 10% to 24% — about 100,000 extra people below the line.
- A 66-year-old who can't work now faces living on the ~£425-a-month Universal Credit standard allowance — roughly half the value of a full new State Pension (£241.30 a week).
- The Committee wants the government to consult on a Universal Credit boost for 66-year-olds, in place by the end of 2026, as a temporary bridge.
The new government hasn't responded yet — the recommendation lands in the same autumn window as the Timms Review of PIP and the Budget, with an incoming Prime Minister who has promised both fiscal discipline and a fairer welfare settlement.
The timetable, in plain English
- Born on or before 5 April 1960 — your pension age was 66; you've reached it.
- Born 6 April 1960 – 5 March 1961 — 66 plus one extra month for each month-band of birth date (66y 1m to 66y 11m). These are the people reaching pension age between May 2026 and early 2028.
- Born 6 March 1961 – 5 April 1977 — your pension age is 67.
- Born 6 April 1977 or later — 67 for now, rising to 68 in 2044–46 under current law; two government-commissioned reviews recommended bringing that forward, and another review is due this parliament.
Where the parties stand
- Labour (in government) — keeps the legislated timetable and the triple lock; no response yet to the committee's UC-boost call.
- Conservatives — back the timetable; their Triple Lock Plus would add a pensioner tax allowance on top.
- Reform UK — has criticised how pension-age rises hit manual workers but has no formal alternative timetable.
- Greens & Lib Dems — both opposed cuts to pre-pension-age support; the Lib Dems focus on free personal care.
Incorrect state pension forecasts: check yours
Knowing your pension age is only half the picture — and in July 2026 the pension amount side hit the headlines. A Telegraph investigation found that up to 800,000 people may have received state pension forecasts that were too high, because HMRC's forecast tool ignored manual adjustments on the records of workers who had contracted out of the additional state pension (common in defined-benefit schemes before 2016). Some were wrongly told they needed no further National Insurance contributions to get the full amount. The error went unfixed for around nine years; corrections were applied first for people reaching pension age before April 2029 and extended in February 2026 to those reaching it later. The Work and Pensions Committee has urged the DWP to consider compensation for people who made retirement decisions on bad numbers — the government has not yet committed to it.
What to do: get a fresh forecast at GOV.UK ("Check your State Pension"), and if you were ever contracted out, ask for your NI record to be reviewed before paying for voluntary top-ups — don't rely on an old statement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the State Pension age right now?
It depends on your date of birth. Anyone born on or before 5 April 1960 reached State Pension age at 66. For those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 it rises in one-month steps (66 and 1 month up to 66 and 11 months). Anyone born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977 has a State Pension age of 67. The transition from 66 to 67 runs from April 2026 to April 2028.
When does the State Pension age reach 68?
Under current law the rise to 68 is scheduled for 2044–46, affecting people born from around 6 April 1977. Two independent reviews recommended bringing it forward (to 2037–39), and the government must review the timetable again this parliament — so anyone in their 40s or younger should treat 68 as a realistic possibility.
What happens if I stop work before State Pension age?
There is no early State Pension. Before pension age you'd rely on work, savings or working-age benefits — for a single person, the Universal Credit standard allowance of about £425 a month, roughly half the value of a full new State Pension. That gap is why MPs on the Work and Pensions Committee proposed a UC boost for 66-year-olds in July 2026.
Can I still get Pension Credit before State Pension age?
No — Pension Credit eligibility starts at State Pension age, so as the pension age rises, the age for Pension Credit (and things like Winter Fuel Payment) rises with it. Guarantee Credit tops weekly income up to £238.00 (single) or £363.25 (couple) in 2026/27 once you qualify.
Is the State Pension age going up?
Yes. It is rising from 66 to 67 right now — the transition runs from April 2026 to April 2028 — and a further rise to 68 is legislated for 2044–46. Two independent reviews recommended bringing the 68 rise forward to 2037–39, and the government must review the timetable again this parliament. Enter your date of birth in the calculator to see your own pension age and claim date.
What age do women get the State Pension?
The same age as men — pension ages were fully equalised in 2018. So a woman's State Pension age is 66, 67 or 68 depending only on her date of birth, exactly as for men; the calculator gives the precise date.
Why was my state pension forecast wrong?
If you contracted out of the additional state pension — common in defined-benefit schemes before 2016 — HMRC's forecast tool ignored manual adjustments to your record for around nine years, so up to 800,000 people may have been shown a figure that was too high. Get a fresh forecast on GOV.UK and have your NI record reviewed before paying for voluntary top-ups.
Will there be compensation for incorrect state pension forecasts?
Not yet. The Work and Pensions Committee has urged the DWP to consider compensating people who made retirement decisions based on incorrect forecasts, but the government has not committed to a scheme. The forecast tool itself has been corrected — first for those reaching pension age before April 2029, then from February 2026 for everyone after.
Sources & further reading
- Work and Pensions Committee, 10 July 2026 — Transition to State Pension Age report.
- Institute for Fiscal Studies — what to watch as the rise to 67 rolls out.
- GOV.UK — the official State Pension age tool.
- Which? — your state pension forecast explained, including the contracted-out forecast errors.
Figures are from public material and may change. Not financial, legal or tax advice.