State pension age’s slow but steady rise
Both men and women now have to wait until their 66th birthdays to claim their state pension.
Both men and women now have to wait until their 66th birthdays to claim their state pension. Changes first announced by former chancellor George Osborne finally came into effect on 6 October.
This week has therefore seen the most significant milestone in the slow but steady increase in state pension age since November 2018, when the pension age for men and women was equalised at 65.
There are further increases to come. The state pension age is due to reach 67 by March 2028 and 68 by April 2046, though the government may choose to bring these increases forward. Pressure on the public finances adds to the likelihood of it doing so.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
It’s important to recognise that the state pension age is simply the age at which you can begin drawing your state pension. It doesn’t dictate when you have to stop working and many will opt to do so at a different age. However, savers hoping to retire early should note that the minimum age at which it is possible to withdraw private pension benefits, currently 55, will increase to 57 in 2028, in line with the increase in the state pension age.
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.

David Prosser is a regular MoneyWeek columnist, writing on small business and entrepreneurship, as well as pensions and other forms of tax-efficient savings and investments. David has been a financial journalist for almost 30 years, specialising initially in personal finance, and then in broader business coverage. He has worked for national newspaper groups including The Financial Times, The Guardian and Observer, Express Newspapers and, most recently, The Independent, where he served for more than three years as business editor.
-
Goodwin: A superlative British manufacturer to buy nowVeteran engineering group Goodwin has created a new profit engine. But following its tremendous run, can investors still afford the shares?
-
Is US stock market exceptionalism over?US stocks trailed the rest of the world in 2025. Is this a sign that a long-overdue shift is underway?
-
Modern Monetary Theory and the return of magical thinkingThe Modern Monetary Theory is back in fashion again. How worried should we be?
-
The coming collapse in the jobs marketOpinion Once the Employment Bill becomes law, expect a full-scale collapse in hiring, says Matthew Lynn
-
How pet insurance can help cut the costs of vet billsYou can temper the expense of vet bills with pet insurance. There are four main types to consider
-
Rachel Reeves's punishing rise in business rates will crush the British economyOpinion By piling more and more stealth taxes onto businesses, the government is repeating exactly the same mistake of its first Budget, says Matthew Lynn
-
The consequences of the Autumn Budget – and what it means for the UK economyOpinion A directionless and floundering government has ducked the hard choices at the Autumn Budget, says Simon Wilson
-
Big Short investor Michael Burry closes hedge fund Scion CapitalProfile Michael Burry rightly bet against the US mortgage market before the 2008 crisis. Now he is worried about the AI boom
-
Why the Waspi women are wrongOpinion Compensation for the Waspi women would mean using an unaffordable sledgehammer to crack a nut, says David Prosser
-
Why UK stocks are set to boomOpinion Despite Labour, there is scope for UK stocks to make more gains in the years ahead, says Max King