Overview

• Standard Life reports the average preferred retirement age remains 62 but the expected age has climbed to 67, up from 66 last year, with only 30% saying they live comfortably and just 15% prioritising pension saving.
• Confidence is weak in state support, with fewer than one in three expecting the triple lock to endure and only a little over half believing the State Pension will still be available for all when they retire.
• The State Pension age is set in law to move from 66 to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028, creating month-by-month delays of up to 11 months for some birth cohorts, yet fewer than one in five correctly identify the current age of 66.
• Payments at the new full rate are £230.25 per week, and a £562 annual increase has been confirmed for next year for those on the new full State Pension.
• A DWP-led review is assessing future pension-age rules alongside the scheduled rise to 68 in 2044–46, while people reaching pension age stop paying National Insurance and may need to reclaim deductions and some working-age benefits cease at that point.