Enter your date of birth and gender to find out your State Pension age — the earliest age you can claim your UK State Pension. You'll see your State Pension age, the exact date you'll reach it, and how many years remain until you can claim.
Your State Pension Age
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Date You Can Claim State Pension
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Years Until State Pension
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Pension Credit Qualifying Age
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State Pension Age (Detail)
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The State Pension age is the earliest age at which you can start receiving your UK State Pension — a regular government payment to support you in retirement. It is currently 66 for both men and women, but is scheduled to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by the late 2030s depending on your date of birth.
The State Pension age is being raised because people are living longer and are generally healthier in older age. The government periodically reviews the age to ensure the pension system remains sustainable. Changes are phased in gradually over several years to give people time to plan.
You can retire at any age, but you cannot claim your State Pension until you reach State Pension age. If you retire early, you'll need to fund your retirement through personal savings, workplace pensions, or other income sources until your State Pension kicks in. This gap is sometimes called the 'Pre-State Pension Gap'.
The full new State Pension is currently £221.20 per week (2024/25). The amount you receive depends on your National Insurance (NI) record — you need at least 10 qualifying years to receive any State Pension, and 35 qualifying years to receive the full amount.
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit for people on low incomes who have reached the qualifying age. The Pension Credit qualifying age is currently the same as State Pension age (66). It tops up your weekly income if it is below a minimum level set by the government.
Yes. There is no 'default retirement age' in the UK, meaning employers cannot force you to retire at 65 or any other age. You can continue working and still claim your State Pension, or you can defer your State Pension to receive a higher amount later.
If you delay claiming your State Pension beyond your State Pension age, your payments will increase. For every 9 weeks you defer, your State Pension increases by 1%, which works out at just under 5.8% for every full year you defer.
Historically, women could claim at 60 and men at 65, but since November 2018, the State Pension age has been equalised at 65 and has since risen to 66 for everyone. Future increases to 67 and 68 apply equally to both men and women based on date of birth.