Overview

• Tom McPhail used a Times column to propose a “radical reset” that would keep the pension universal but push eligibility to about 75 to shore up long‑term finances.
• The Office for Budget Responsibility says the triple lock now costs roughly £15.5 billion a year, far above earlier expectations, intensifying fiscal pressure.
• Under current law the state pension age is 66 and is scheduled to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028 and to 68 between 2044 and 2046, with precise dates depending on birth date.
• Advisers warn steeper rises could worsen inequalities, citing lower life expectancy in places such as Blackpool and noting that international models like Denmark’s may not translate to UK conditions.
• Officials and media are urging people to use Gov.uk tools to check their state pension age and forecast entitlement, with no policy change agreed at this stage.