The age at which millions of Britons become entitled to claim their state pension is starting to increase to 67 this year – with the adjustments already in motion – though experts have explained that the effect varies depending on your date of birth.

The present state pension age sits at 66, but this will rise incrementally over the coming two years until it hits 67. Those initially impacted will be people born between 6 April and 5 May, 1960, who will need to wait an extra month before collecting their pension payments.

The adjustment has been implemented to account for rising life expectancy, with numerous younger workers anticipating they will stay in work into their 70s, although the government continues to assess any possible further rises to the pension age.

The DWP is actively raising awareness of the change, with particular emphasis on those born between 1960 and 1961, for whom the State Pension age will be 66 plus a specified number of months, determined by their exact date of birth.

The UK Government has also altered the timing of the State Pension age increase, meaning that instead of reaching State Pension age on a fixed date, those born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977 will become eligible to claim their State Pension upon turning 67. It is vital that the public familiarise themselves with these forthcoming changes, especially those who already have retirement arrangements in place.

A cross-party group of MPs has launched an investigation into the income gap affecting those nearing State Pension age, ahead of the upcoming rise to 67. The committee emphasised that people aged 60-64 represent one of the most financially vulnerable groups amongst working-age adults over 25, as some leave employment early to care for partners or due to ill health despite decades of work, yet are still too young to access their State Pension.

Work and Pensions Committee Chair Debbie Abrahams said when the inquiry was launched: “In our Pensioner Poverty report we called on the Government to create a coherent cross-governmental strategy that would get ahead of the consequences of an ageing society. Its response pointed to a lot of – not unwelcome – standalone policies, but nothing that amounted to a guiding star for all departments for the health of the country as it edges towards retirement. It potentially leaves people exposed to falling between the cracks.

“Pre-pensioners are particularly exposed. You could’ve worked a grueling 45 years as a skilled tradesperson paying taxes only to find yourself short of cash as you limp from day-to-day for more years until the pension payoff. It’s only natural that this situation would make you feel a sense of injustice facing hardship having been independent and contributing for decades. “.

Throughout 2023/24, 22% of this age group (876,000 people) were living in poverty. From April 2026, the Government commenced a gradual increase in State Pension age from 66 to 67, to be fully implemented within two years.

When the pension age previously climbed from 65 to 66, it pushed an additional 100,000 65-year-olds into absolute income poverty compared to the period before the change.

Date of birth // Date State Pension age reached.

6 April 1960 – 5 May 1960 66 years and 1 month.

6 May 1960 – 5 June 1960 66 years and 2 months.

6 June 1960 – 5 July 1960 66 years and 3 months.

6 July 1960 – 5 August 1960 66 years and 4 months.

6 August 1960 – 5 September 1960 66 years and 5 months.

6 September 1960 – 5 October 1960 66 years and 6 months.

6 October 1960 – 5 November 1960 66 years and 7 months.

6 November 1960 – 5 December 1960 66 years and 8 months.

6 December 1960 – 5 January 1961 66 years and 9 months.

6 January 1961 – 5 February 1961 66 years and 10 months.

6 February 1961 – 5 March 1961 66 years and 11 months.

6 March 1961 – 5 April 1977 67.

Previous increases to the State Pension age have proved deeply contentious, most notably those which gave rise to the Waspi campaign, in which women argued they were not given adequate notice of the changes.

According to the IFS, some of those affected by pension age increases have been forced to draw upon private pension savings to bridge the gap, while the rises have also been linked to a decline in life satisfaction among those impacted. A rising pension age has also driven employment rates among the affected age groups up by 10 percentage points, largely due to workers staying in their roles for longer.

The increase in state pension age to 68 is currently enshrined in law for 2044-46, although a forthcoming review will examine whether those timescales should be amended.

Elaine Smith, head of employment and skills at the Centre for Ageing Better, pointed out that the rationale behind repeatedly raising the state pension age was based on increasing life expectancy. “But life expectancy nationally is lower now than it was before the pandemic,” she said.

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “We’re committed to providing financial support for people at any age who need it.

“Those that have not reached state pension age can access a range of support such as universal credit and other means-tested and disability-related benefits.”