State Pension age 68 plan could affect millions born in the 1970s

Under current law, the State Pension age is due to rise from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046.

However, it’s been shown that new Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) documents assume the increase will instead happen between 2037 and 2039 as part of the Government’s current policy position for its economic forecasts.

If that timetable were ultimately adopted, the increase would come around seven years earlier than current legislation provides.

Who could be affected?

An earlier increase could affect around five million people, particularly those who are currently aged between 49 and 55.

Instead of becoming eligible for their State Pension at 67, they could have to wait until they turn 68.

For many people, that would mean working for another year or relying on other sources of income before becoming eligible for the State Pension.

Why is an earlier rise being discussed?

The OBR says delaying the increase would add significantly to Government spending.

Its latest documents state: “If the state pension age were to rise to 68 in 2044-45 in line with legislation, rather than the Government’s stated policy that the rise to 68 will happen in 2037-39, this would cost an average additional £6 billion in today’s terms in each of the years the state pension age rise is delayed.”

Ministers say no decision has been made

Despite the OBR’s assumption, ministers have stressed that the Government has not announced any change to the law.

Responding to reports about the OBR documents, Pensions Minister Torsten Bell said on X that the reports were ‘just wrong’. He added: “We have not announced any change of policy – and certainly not this specific one. There is currently a review of the State Pension age underway – that is simply because legislation (the 2014 Act) requires the Secretary of State to conduct such reviews on a fairly regular basis.”

He also referred to previous changes to the State Pension age, saying: “If you want to see what we’ve actually said – not least about the 2011 disaster of raising the State Pension age in a rush that gave some people only 5yrs notice – you can read the (long) evidence I gave to the Select Committee recently.”

This story is just wrong https://t.co/RJkBkgcf98

— Torsten Bell (@TorstenBell) July 14, 2026

Experts urge caution

The prospect of bringing forward the increase has prompted concern from experts, who warn many older people are already struggling to remain in work until they reach State Pension age.

Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “It is extremely worrying if the Treasury is thinking of making the next rise in state pension age in just over a decade’s time.

“The government needs to be very careful about making this change.

“During the rise to 66, it doubled the poverty rates for 64-year-olds.

“A recent parliamentary committee report warned the impact is likely to be even bigger now for the current rise to 67.”

She said it was difficult to see the case for accelerating the timetable: “Other than the substantial savings the Treasury will make from making people wait longer for their State Pension, it is hard to see what evidence could be used to justify introducing the next rise sooner.”

Can everyone work until 68?

Dr Easton said many people already face significant barriers to working later in life.

She said: “Working until you are 68 is very far from the norm. Only one in five people currently do so.

“It is not viable for everyone to work this long for a range of reasons – health, ageism, caring responsibilities, inflexible employers freezing many people out of work.”

She also highlighted differences in healthy life expectancy across the country.

“There are places in this country where the healthy life expectancy is more than a decade below the current state pension age.

“Progress on this issue has stalled, we cannot just assume we are all going to be living longer and healthier lives.”

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What happens next?

No legislation has yet been introduced to bring forward the increase in the State Pension age.

The Government is carrying out the latest statutory review of the State Pension age, which is required under existing legislation.

Once that review concludes, ministers will decide whether to recommend changes to the timetable before any proposal is put before Parliament.

For now, the legal position remains that the State Pension age will rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046, unless Parliament approves a change.