New State Pension age review could see people working longer before retirement
Pension Credit – Could you or someone you know be eligible?
The State Pension age is set to start rising from 66 to 67 next year, with the increase due to be completed for all men and women across the UK by 2028. The planned change to the official age of retirement has been in legislation since 2014 with a further rise from 67 to 68 set to be implemented between 2044 and 2046.
The UK Governmen t has announced a new Pension Commission to investigate how to boost pension saving with its findings due to be published in 2027. Areas for consideration will include auto-enrolment saving rates, boosting saving among groups such as the self-employed and a review of the State Pension age.
Dr Suzy Morrissey will report on factors the UK Government should consider relating to State Pension age and the Government Actuary's Department will prepare a report on the proportion of adult life in retirement.
Commenting on the UK Government's plans to review the State Pension, including the age at which it is received, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: 'The Scottish Government has consistently warned the UK Government against raising the State Pension age more quickly than is needed.
'So, I welcome the fact the UK Government has committed to gathering more evidence before making any final decisions on a timeline. We look forward to the UK Government sharing their proposals with us and we will respond in due course.
'I am particularly keen to see that the difference in average life expectancies found across regions in the UK is fully considered. Otherwise, generations may be left behind, just as they have been before.
'While State Pension policy is reserved to the UK Government, we are committed to enabling older people to have a dignified retirement. That's why, for example, we are providing a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment to 720,000 more people this year, helping to ease the burden of rising energy costs.'
Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'The Commission will look at state pension and whether the age at which we receive it should increase. Again, it's not an easy decision - we've seen increases in life expectancy slow down in recent years. There's also the issue of healthy life expectancy to consider.
'This currently hovers in the early 60s, so the reality is that many people cannot keep working into their late 60s. Any decision to increase state pension age further needs to take into account what needs to happen to help people remain in the workforce for longer, so they don't fall down the income gap between leaving work and taking their state pension.'
She added: 'It's also an opportunity for the government to assess the long-term position of the Triple Lock. Speculation continues to swirl as to whether the Triple Lock's days are numbered but the cost of maintaining it will need to be balanced against the role it plays in helping workers, particularly those who are lower paid to meet their target retirement income.'
State Pension age rise 2026-2028
The State Pension age rise from 66 to 67 will affect those born between April 6, 1960 and March 5, 1961. Anyone born between these dates is being prompted to check their State Pension age on GIV.UK here to find out the earliest point at which they'll be eligible for their State Pension.
Check your State Pension age online
Your State Pension age is the earliest age you can start receiving your State Pension. It may be different to the age you can get a workplace or personal pension.
Anyone of any age can use the online tool at GOV.UK to check their State Pension age, which can be an essential part of planning your retirement.
You can use the State Pension age tool to check:
When you will reach State Pension age
Your Pension Credit qualifying age
When you will be eligible for free bus travel - this is at age 60 in Scotland
Check your State Pension age online here.
How to get full New State Pension
Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, the online investment platform, said: 'People typically need at least 10 qualifying years of NI (national insurance) contributions to receive any State Pension at all and at least 35 years to receive the full New State Pension - though they don't need to be consecutive years.
'Plugging gaps can be quite an expensive process, so it is important to assess whether you actually need to buy back any missing years. This will depend on how many more years you plan to work, and whether you are eligible for NI tax credits, which fill the gaps, such as those who have been sick, were unemployed or took time out to raise a family or care for elderly relations.
'Plugging gaps in your record is relatively straightforward since the Government rolled out its new NI payments services in April last year - a State Pension forecast tool that has been checked by 3.7m since its launch.'
She continued: 'People simply need to log into their personal tax account or the HMRC app to not only view any payment gaps but also check if they can plug those gaps directly through the UK Government's digital channels.
'A short survey assesses the person's suitability to pay online with those eligible to pay directly given a series of options to plug any gaps depending on when someone wants to stop working.
'Calculating whether to top up can be confusing though and ultimately there is no point paying for more years than you need because you won't get that money back.'
Ms Haine added: 'People who might need to top up include those that took a career break as well as low earners or expatriates living and working abroad."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
5 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Modern Britain's counsel of despair
There can be no greater indicator of hopelessness in Government than the flailing around this weekend of Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers. Even as the people of this country were protesting up and down the land from Glasgow to Diss in Norfolk our Prime Minister was fixated on a country far away, negotiating with the EU for a way to airdrop aid into Gaza. Demonstrations have taken place all weekend against the occupation of migrant hotels even as more illegals found their way to our shores. Larger and larger crowds of demonstrators have been gathering to demand an end to the housing of 'asylum seekers' and a shutting down of our borders. But if you'd been monitoring the output from Downing Street, you might not know it. With every international policy that emanates from the office of the Prime Minister – such as the promise to recognise Palestinian statehood at some point in the future – there is often a domestic act with far reaching consequences. The latest betrayal of the British people is a plan to spend millions on repurposing housing with local councils in order to accommodate yet more asylum seekers. There are apparently 700,000 potential homes in London, Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham. The Government would pay for councils to either lease or buy the properties and then renovate them en masse. Not only has the proposed pilot scheme angered homeless campaigners but it will dismay many younger people who were promised the vote only last week. After all, what hope will teenagers have of ever buying their own home if the current supply, and even newer converted properties, are earmarked for new arrivals to the country? And to make matters worse an elite police squad has been set up to monitor anti-migrant posts on social media. They're going to be pretty busy. Britain has never been more categorically in a state of disrepair. Yet it seems as though this Government and its ministers are determined not to acknowledge it. Instead it seems determined to downgrade our status ever further. Consider what's happened over the last few days. President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland with a warning that immigration was ruining not just this country but all of Europe. We learnt that dozens of Taliban fighters are amongst the many thousands of Afghan refugees who came to the UK under the resettlement scheme. That terrorists from the Middle East have entered the country posing as asylum seekers. We've also seen a rise in homeless foreigners sleeping on our streets. It is fostering resentment, and a mounting sense of unfairness. Sixth-formers might have the vote in 2029, but how many will support Labour against this backdrop? As the anger deepens around the country over immigration and the way the government is failing to control it, Starmer's proposal to bring Palestinian children to Britain will be met with further alarm. In a weekend poll, 27 per cent of Brits said they didn't 'sympathise' with either side. We can perhaps read into this that it is not an issue of great importance to them. More and more people are telling me that they have had enough of being treated like second class citizens and they hold the Labour Government responsible. Who can blame them?
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Police lock down Scots country park and beach ahead of Donald Trump's arrival
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOLIDAYMAKERS have been ordered to leave a country park boasting one of Scotland's best beaches as police prepared for Donald Trump's visit to his nearby golf course. Visitors were told to vacate the beauty spot as security is beefed up ahead of US president's trip to his neighbouring Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire tomorrow. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 President Trump will travel to his Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire after visiting his Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble 4 Visitors to the award-winning Balmedie beach in Aberdeenshire have been ordered out Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News 4 Holidaymakers were forced to go to make way for a massive security operation Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News 4 Police are patrolling the beach with borders the US president's Menie Estate Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News Officers locked down Balmedie Country Park and its coastal stretch — which has won 20 awards for the quality of its sand and water. Locals have vowed to protest after the Scottish Government announced a tournament held at his Trump International resort is being given £180,000 of taxpayers' cash. An onlooker said: 'Police were shutting off the beach and the park. 'It's one of the country's best and we're in the middle of the school holidays. 'Trump doesn't own it so it feels ridiculous that people who live here are being told to leave. "Loads of people were told to go. 'Is it any wonder most people around here hate him so much?' Balmedie Country Park has miles of sandy beaches and dunes and is popular all year with tourists and locals. Only a flimsy waist-high wooden fence separates it from the US president's 1,400 acres of land. Police had warned roads and the park would be shut in advance while a massive security operation gets underway ahead of Mr Trump's arrival. British Army soldiers, snipers, US Secret Service agents and cops were spotted in huge numbers over the weekend as he visited his Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire with similar scenes expected. US and EU agree landmark trade deal after months of talks, Donald Trump says The Republican chief will open a new 18-hole course there named after his late Scottish mum Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis. Neighbours have vowed to protest the plans and the announcement that public cash will be handed over for the Nexo Championship being held at the resort next month. Activist Alena Ivanova, organiser of Stop Trump Scotland, says the demo will be a "festival of resistance". She added: 'This message is to Donald Trump but also our elected leaders preparing to meet him — there is no place for Trumpism in Scotland. 'In the vicinity of the golf course people will be making noise and using creative props to bring the message as close to home as possible that Donald Trump is not welcome here.' Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: 'A policing plan is in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption. 'We are working with transport planning partners, including local authorities, on temporary road closures. 'We understand a visit of this scale and the significant policing operation required can cause some disruption, and we are thankful to communities for their patience and understanding.' We told how a protester was arrested and given a recorded police warning on Friday for "abusive behaviour and refusing to stop" at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire where the American leader's Air Force One jet landed. Trump today met with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at his nearby Turnberry golf course where they they agreed fresh trade terms. He set US tariffs on goods at 15 percent and announcedthe EU will spend nearly £500billion in American investments and buy more than £100bn in energy and purchase military equipment. Mr Trump called it a "good deal for everybody" while Ms von der Leyen called it "huge" and revealed there had been "tough negotiations". He will also meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and First Minister John Swinney before the end of his five-day trip.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Two-tier policing is the nail in the coffin for Britain's social contract
Has a British Government ever appeared so terrified of its own people? More to the point, can you think of one that deserved it more? The social contract has been shredded. You go to work and pay your taxes for a state that seems to be crumbling into disrepair. In exchange, the Government takes your money, and uses it to fund an alleged secret scheme to fly in Taliban fighters to live on your street. But don't worry – we've got a new 'elite police squad' to prevent trouble. That police unit won't be patrolling your neighbourhood to keep you safe from harm. Rather, it will be tasked with scouring social media for protest pre-crime, monitoring your opinions for anti-migrant sentiment. The police might not have enough resources to deal with shoplifting. They might not have solved a single theft or burglary, or recover a stolen bike, across a third of England. But we are to believe they have resources for what really counts: scrutinising your views for wrongthink. The current state of affairs is so absurd that simply writing it down feels almost subversive. But each element is true: we do appear to have flown unvetted Taliban members into Britain. The Government really will be watching your posts for signs of dissent. This isn't some accident, some Civil Service blunder. It's by design. It truly appears that Labour's strategy is to impose ever more restrictions on the freedoms of the law-abiding, in the hope that eventually people will acquiesce with a resigned shrug. The problem is that it isn't working. The population is fed up with being punished for doing the right thing. The hectoring about slavery, imperialism, war and all the other iniquities of history used to justify sacrificing our comforts and liberties on the altar of mass migration is no longer having the desired effect. British citizens living today did not build the empire. They didn't enslave anyone. Why should they foot the bill for housing illegal migrants up in four star hotels in central London? Why should they put up with them working in the shadow economy? Unfortunately for the Government, the previously silent majority is beginning to vocally express its frustration. MPs and ministers are fearful that the country is becoming a 'tinderbox'. But even this isn't enough to convince them that we must change course. Why? Perhaps because doing so would be an admission of past failures. For decades we were told that mass migration was an unalloyed good while critics were denounced as bigots. To concede, after all this time, that it has not come without costs – at times intolerable costs – would be catastrophically damaging to the political class. The pro-migration fanatics, who promised to control numbers while throwing open our borders, who overrode objections to impose their policies despite what they were repeatedly being told at the ballot box, would be discredited. So instead, the state appears to be passing through the stages of grief. At first there was denial that people were worried about migration at all; Brexit had allowed us to be liberals. Then there was anger after Southport, with Starmer's denunciation of the 'thugs' taking to the streets. Now we seem to have reached bargaining: if we can stop people talking about it, perhaps they'll stop caring? It was a strategy that might have worked prior to the social media era, and in particular prior to Elon Musk's buyout of Twitter. Now, even the censorship of protest videos, arrest of people for incendiary content, and threat of mass scanning of output isn't sufficient to quell dissent. And though many of the protests now cropping up across Britain are peaceful, shows of police force are not enough to deter outside agitators from hijacking them. Tiff Lynch, the head of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, last week warned that officers were being 'pulled in every direction' and commanders were 'forced to choose between keeping the peace at home or plugging national gaps'. Where do we go from here? As the costs of legal migration become apparent, with talk of labour market infusions and attracting the 'best and brightest' seeming increasingly hollow, overall numbers must be reduced. As the impact of illegal migration becomes clearer, the establishment must stop trying to guilt us into acceptance, and finally stop the influx. It's highly doubtful Yvette Cooper has the will or the way. The Home Secretary would prefer to silence opponents, by censoring and arresting those who speak out.
