State Pension age: the 66 to 67 timetable
State Pension age is currently 66 — but it is rising to 67 in monthly steps between April 2026 and April 2028. Your exact date depends on your date of birth, and a single day can move it by a whole month. Here is the full timetable, and what is legislated after 67.
The rise that is already happening
State Pension age has been 66 for both men and women since October 2020. Under the Pensions Act 2014, it now rises to 67 in stages between 6 April 2026 and April 2028, affecting everyone born on or after 6 April 1960. It is not a new announcement: the timetable was legislated more than a decade ago. If you were born before 6 April 1960, your State Pension age stays at 66.
The transition bands, month by month
During the transition, each month of birth adds roughly one extra month to State Pension age. The bands are:
| Date of birth | State Pension age |
|---|---|
| Before 6 April 1960 | 66 years |
| 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 years |
Bands follow the official State Pension age timetable. If your birthday falls on a boundary day, check your exact date with the GOV.UK State Pension age tool rather than guessing from the band — a single day can move your date by a month.
An example shows why the bands matter: someone born on 5 December 1960 falls in the 6 November – 5 December 1960 band and reaches State Pension age at 66 years and 8 months — in August 2027, not on their 66th birthday in December 2026.
What about 68?
The current legislation also schedules a rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046, affecting people born from April 1977 onward. That timetable has been reviewed more than once, and the government has postponed the decision on its exact timing. Treat 68 as legislated but not final: if you were born after April 1977, your State Pension age could still change, and the government is committed to giving at least 10 years' notice of any change.
Why your exact date matters beyond claiming
State Pension age is not just the date you can start claiming. It is also the date you stop paying National Insurance as an employee, the date from which you can no longer buy voluntary contributions for future years, and the anchor for decisions about deferring and about filling gaps. Getting it wrong by a few months can mean missing a payment deadline or misjudging how many qualifying years you still have time to build. Check it on GOV.UK, and check your forecast at the same time.
Official links
Frequently asked questions
I was born in June 1960. When is my State Pension age?
You fall in the 6 June – 5 July 1960 band, so your State Pension age is 66 years and 3 months — roughly September 2026 for a June birthday. Confirm the exact date with the GOV.UK tool.
I was born in 1970. Is my State Pension age 67 or 68?
Under current legislation it is 67. The rise to 68 is legislated for 2044–2046 but its timing is under review, so check again as you get closer — the government must give at least 10 years' notice of a change.
Does State Pension age differ for men and women?
No. It has been the same for men and women since November 2018, when women's State Pension age completed its rise to 65 and then to 66 alongside men's.