How this checker works
You can take a private pension from 55 until 5 April 2028, and from 57 after that. Your State Pension age depends only on your date of birth and is currently between 66 and 68.
The checker applies two sets of rules to your date of birth. For private pensions it uses the normal minimum pension age, the earliest age most people can take money from a workplace or personal pension. For the State Pension it uses the timetable in the Pensions Act 1995, as changed by the Pensions Acts of 2007, 2011 and 2014.
It then shows the gap between the two dates. We call these your bridge years: the stretch where you might live on part-time work, savings or a private pension before the State Pension starts.
The checker does not know about protected pension ages, ill-health rules or public service schemes with their own pension ages, so always confirm with your provider.
The 55 to 57 change in 2028
On 6 April 2028 the normal minimum pension age rises from 55 to 57. Your date of birth decides whether you are affected.
| Date of birth | Earliest private pension age |
|---|---|
| On or before 6 April 1971 | 55. You reach 57 by the time the rule changes, so it does not affect you. |
| 7 April 1971 to 5 April 1973 | 55, with a deadline. You can start from your 55th birthday until 5 April 2028. If you have not started by then, you may have to wait until 57. |
| On or after 6 April 1973 | 57, unless a scheme gives you a protected pension age. |
A protected pension age lets some members keep an earlier minimum age in a particular scheme. It depends on that scheme’s rules, so you could have one pension you can take at 55 and another you cannot touch until 57. The rise does not apply to members of the police, firefighters’ and armed forces pension schemes, or to people retiring because of ill health.
State Pension age by date of birth
Under current law, State Pension age is 66 for people born before 6 April 1960, rises to 67 for people born from 6 March 1961, and reaches 68 for people born from 6 April 1978.
| Date of birth | State Pension age |
|---|---|
| Before 6 April 1960 | 66 or earlier. You have already reached it. |
| 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961 | 66 plus 1 to 11 months, rising by a month for each month of birth |
| 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1977 | 67 |
| 6 April 1977 to 5 April 1978 | Between 67 and 68, on a fixed date between 6 May 2044 and 6 March 2046 |
| 6 April 1978 or later | 68 |
The rise to 68 is under review. The government’s third State Pension age review must report by March 2029. Reports have suggested the rise to 68 could move to 2037 to 2039, which would affect people born between April 1970 and April 1977. The Treasury has said the law has not changed, and any change must give at least 10 years’ notice. The checker flags this if it could apply to you.
Worked example
This is an example, not a real person. Sam was born on 15 June 1973.
- Private pension: Sam turns 55 on 15 June 2028, after the rule changes, so the earliest age is 57, on 15 June 2030.
- State Pension: Sam is in the 67 group, so it starts on 15 June 2040.
- Bridge years: 10 years between the two. If Sam dials down to part-time at 57, part-time pay and a private pension may need to cover that gap.
- Review flag: born between April 1970 and April 1977, so Sam’s State Pension age could change if the review brings the rise to 68 forward.
Questions people ask
Can I still take my private pension at 55?
Until 5 April 2028, yes: the normal minimum pension age is 55. From 6 April 2028 it rises to 57. If you were born on or before 5 April 1973 you reach 55 before the change, so you have a window to start taking your pension at 55. Some schemes give members a protected pension age that lets them carry on from 55 or 56.
When does the minimum pension age rise to 57?
On 6 April 2028. The change is already law. It applies to personal and workplace pensions, but not to the State Pension, and there are exceptions for ill health and some uniformed services schemes.
What is the State Pension age for someone born in the 1970s?
Under current law, 67 if you were born between 6 March 1961 and 5 April 1977. If you were born between 6 April 1977 and 5 April 1978 it falls between 67 and 68, and from 6 April 1978 it is 68.
Will State Pension age rise to 68 sooner?
It might. The law says the rise to 68 happens between 2044 and 2046, but the government’s third State Pension age review could bring it forward. The review must be published by March 2029, and any change must give at least 10 years’ notice.
Can I take my pension and keep working?
Yes. You can usually draw a private pension while still working, full-time or part-time. Taking taxable income flexibly from a defined contribution pension can trigger the Money Purchase Annual Allowance, which limits future contributions, so check before you start.
What are bridge years?
Bridge years are the gap between the earliest date you can take a private pension and the date your State Pension starts. Many people use part-time work, savings or a private pension to cover this period.
What to do next
- Check your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK to see how much you are on track to get. Our guide on how to check your State Pension forecast walks through it.
- Ask each pension provider for your scheme’s minimum pension age, and whether you have a protected pension age.
- Book a free Pension Wise appointment if you are 50 or over and have a defined contribution pension.
Guidance, not advice. This tool gives general guidance based on the information you enter. It is not financial advice. For free, impartial help, visit MoneyHelper.
Sources: GOV.UK: State Pension age · Pensions Act 1995, Schedule 4 · House of Commons Library: State Pension age review · MoneyHelper.
Reviewed on 7 October 2026 · How our tools work