What is my retirement age?

Knowing your retirement age can give you a useful target, helping you decide when you might want to stop working. If you set your retirement age too early, you may have to wait before you can claim either your individual or State Pension. On this page, we clarify why the age you retire doesn’t always match up with your State Pension age and how you might be affected by changes to the retirement age in the UK.

The information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult with a licensed financial adviser or professional before making any financial decisions. Your financial situation is unique, and the information provided may not be suitable for your specific circumstances. We are not liable for any financial decisions or actions you take based on this information.

For most workers, there is no longer a forced retirement age in the UK. Since 2011, the law states that you can generally work for as long as you want.

It’s important to consider what’s meant by retirement age, as the term could mean two different things:

1. The age you choose (or need) to stop working

2. The age at which you become eligible for the UK State Pension

So, what is the State Pension age? As of 2025, the State Pension age in the UK is 66 years old for both men and women. However, it is set to gradually increase to 67, with the change due to take effect between May 2026 and March 2028 (although timelines may vary).

Some people also think of retirement age as the point when they’re allowed to tap into their private or workplace pension. This is currently at the age of 55, but is set to increase to 57 from April 2028 (depending on the rules of the particular pension scheme). So even if someone chooses to retire before reaching their State Pension age, they might still have access to retirement income from other pensions depending on scheme rules.

While it’s common for the two terms to be used interchangeably, they’re not quite the same.

Retirement age is simply the age at which you decide to stop working. Some people retire before they reach the State Pension age if they can afford to, while others might continue working beyond it.

The UK State Pension age (SPA) is the age at which you’re legally allowed to start claiming your State Pension. This age is set by government legislation (including the Pensions Act) and is reviewed every so often to reflect changing life expectancy and the costs of providing pensions. Even though the State Pension age is fixed, it is also possible to carry on working while receiving it.

It’s worth noting that there may be compulsory retirement ages for certain roles. The fire service, for example, has what’s known as a normal pension age. This is generally age 60 for those who joined more recent schemes. But people can continue working past that age if they’re physically able to, and they can also choose to retire early with a reduced pension, so it’s not a blanket retirement age. In the majority of other jobs, an employer can only ask you to retire if there’s a really good reason, like health and safety or the needs of the role.

Your retirement age will depend on the sum of your personal pension pots, your State Pension and any additional sources of income.

This State Pension age calculator from the government’s website will allow you to check when you’ll reach your State Pension age, your Pension Credit qualifying age, and when you’ll be eligible for free bus travel. All you need to do is input your date of birth, and the calculator will determine the rest for you.

Yes, the State Pension age in the UK will increase from 66 to 67, starting in May 2026. This will affect people born on or after 6 April 1960. But the change won’t happen all at once; it’s a phased increase and will be complete in March 2028. The State Pension age during the phased increase will depend on an individual’s date of birth. For example, someone born in July 1960 will reach their pension age a few months after someone born in May 1960.

Under the Pensions Act 2007), the Government has legislated for the State Pension age to increase to 68 between the years 2044 and 2046, although this timeframe and increase is yet to be confirmed and may change.

Under current law, the State Pension age is scheduled to increase to 68 between 2044 and 2046 for people born from around 1977 onwards. So those in their 40s may need to plan for the event that their pension age is later than 67.

However, the SPA is reviewed regularly by the government and this plan is subject to change. Life expectancy is just one aspect that can rise over decades, which could prompt the government to recommend changes to the timetable. Plus, any changes would need to be approved by Parliament before taking effect.

The government regularly reviews the UK State Pension age to make sure it’s affordable and fair. It’s increasing for a few key reasons:

• The UK’s population is ageing. According to population projections from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (based on data from 2021/22), the number of people aged 65 or over in the UK could rise to 22.1 million people by 2072, or 27% of the population.

• Longer life expectancy means the government has to pay out state pensions for longer. To keep the pension system sustainable, the State Pension age increases as life expectancy improves. Life expectancy at birth in the UK in 2021 to 2023 was 78.8 years for males and 82.8 years for females.

• Intergenerational fairness, which refers to the idea that no single generation should carry a disproportionate financial burden when it comes to funding pensions. This could mean retirement ages are adjusted so that each generation spends roughly a similar proportion of their adult life in retirement.

• Economic factors. Under current policy, the State Pension increases each year under the ‘triple lock’ mechanism. Increases are based on inflation or average earnings growth, or they are 2.5%, whichever is higher.

Once the State Pension age has increased to 67, the UK will rank among the countries with the highest state retirement ages.

Across Europe, many countries have similar retirement ages:

• Denmark, Italy, Iceland, and Greece: 67

• Germany: rising to 67 by 2031

• France: 64 (as of 2023 reform)

• Spain: gradually increasing to 67 by 2027

In the United States, the full retirement age to receive Social Security is between 66 and 67, depending on birth year.

There are three ways to claim your pension:

• Over the phone, by calling the State Pension claim line

• Online, by registering on the GOV.UK website

• By post, which requires downloading a State Pension claim form and sending it to your local pension centre

Alongside using a calculator to check your State Pension age, you can check your National Insurance contributions, as these will determine how much you could receive in retirement.

There are plenty of ways to save for your retirement. One common method is a personal pension, which you can set up yourself, or you might be automatically enrolled in a workplace pension if your employer offers this scheme. Workplace pensions benefit from tax relief on contributions, subject to HMRC rules. Your employer will automatically contribute on your behalf when deducting pension contributions from your salary.

Another way to save is through investing, although this comes with more risk. Investing in stocks and shares is generally considered a long-term strategy, and while investing may offer higher potential returns, your returns aren’t guaranteed and you could get back less than you invest.

You can also consider opening a savings account, especially one offering competitive interest rates. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protects eligible deposits in savings accounts offered by UK-regulated banks, up to £120,000 per person, per bank.