State Pension Age Increase Confirmed for July 2026
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the state pension age will gradually increase from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. This change affects individuals born on or after 6 April 1960. The phased increase means that those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 will not reach pension age at exactly 66 but at 66 years plus a specific number of months.
Detailed Phased Schedule for Claiming Pension
According to EntitledTo, the gradual increase is structured as follows: people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 May 1960 can claim at 66 years and 1 month; those born 6 May 1960 to 5 June 1960 at 66 years and 2 months; and so on, with the final group born 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 claiming at their 67th birthday. For example, a person born on 31 July 1960 reaches 66 years and 4 months on 30 November 2026, while someone born on 31 December 1960 reaches 66 years and 9 months on 30 September 2027.
Background of the Pension Age Changes
The Pensions Act 2011 brought forward the timetable for equalising the state pension age at 65 to November 2018 and increased it to 66 between 2018 and 2020. The Pensions Act 2014 then accelerated the rise to 67, moving it from 2034–2036 to 2026–2028. The Labour Party government stated: “The Pensions Act 2014 brought the increase in the state pension age from 66 to 67 forward by eight years. The state pension age for men and women will now increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028.”
Impact on Claimants
The government also changed the phase-in method so that instead of a single date, people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 will reach their state pension age at 66 years plus a specified number of months. This means that for many, the exact retirement date depends on their birth date. The full list includes 11 monthly brackets, each adding one extra month up to 11 months, before those born from 6 March 1961 onwards claim at 67.
