State Pension Age Is Rising From Today — Are You Affected?

State Pension — Happening Now

April 3, 2026 — London

From 6 April 2026, the State Pension age in the UK begins its gradual rise from 66 to 67. If you were born on or after 6 April 1960, your State Pension age is no longer 66 — it's higher, and rising by one month for each month of birth date until it reaches 67 for those born from 6 March 1961.

Who Is Affected?

How Much Is the State Pension in 2026/27?

The full new State Pension rose to £241.30 per week (£12,547.60 per year) for 2026/27, following the 4.8% triple lock increase. You need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance to receive the full amount.

What to Do If You're Affected

• Check your exact State Pension age and forecast at gov.uk/check-state-pension
• If you need to delay retirement, contact the DWP to understand your options
• Consider working part-time or drawing on private pension savings to bridge the gap
• Check if you can make voluntary NIC contributions to top up your record
• Review whether deferring your State Pension (when you do reach pension age) would benefit you — it increases by ~5.8% per year deferred

By Chandraketu Tripathi · April 3, 2026 · kaeltripton.com