Three in five (59%) people aged 60-65 think their own state pension age is unfair, according to research from the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement.
This is the first cohort affected by the increase in the State Pension age from 66 to 67, phased over two years from 2026 to 2028.
Women in their 60s (60%) are significantly more likely than men (43%) to think their own state pension age is unfair. Half of women in their 60s also say they feel under pressure as a result of the State Pension age rise to 67, compared to just 31% of men.
The research uncovered a general lack of support for a rise in the State Pension age. As many as seven in 10 (69%) people aged 60 to 65 think the threshold should remain unchanged regardless of rises in average life expectancy, with fewer than a quarter (23%) saying they would support the State Pension age rising in line with rises in average life expectancy.
Women in their 60s (71%) are more likely to say the State Pension age should remain the same regardless of rises in life expectancy, although 62% of men also agree with this view.
Under current legislation, the State Pension age is scheduled to further increase to 68 between 2044 and 2046 for those born between April 1977 and April 1978. However, recent reports suggest that the Government’s current policy assumption is to bring forward the age rise to 68 by at least seven years to 2037-2039, potentially affecting millions more people.
Standard Life said the majority of people in their 60s (67%) consider it unfair to change the State Pension age after people have started their working lives, whereas only a quarter (24%) think that the Government should be able to raise the State Pension age to protect taxpayers if people are living for longer.
Catherine Foot, director of the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, said: “As our population ages, the country is faced with fiscal challenges that involve difficult trade-offs. The State Pension is often central to these debates, but our research shows how strongly people feel about changes to the State Pension age.
“A majority of those most immediately affected by the ongoing increase to 67 believe the change is unfair and do not support further rises linked to life expectancy. This is particularly true for women, who are significantly less likely than men to have adequate private retirement savings.
“If further increases to the State Pension age are considered, policymakers will need to ensure people have sufficient opportunity to prepare and should also take action to minimise the impact on those with lower savings and fewer options to extend their working lives.”
The research also explored people’s views on the future of the State Pension, amid widespread public debate around its longevity. More than a quarter (28%) of people in their 60s believe it will be unsustainable in the long-term, while a similar number (27%) disagree and just under half (45%) are unsure.
Previous Standard Life research found that only half (51%) of UK adults aged 18 to 65 agreed the State Pension would be available for everyone when they reach state pension age. In addition, only a minority of people (29%) expect the triple lock to still be in place by the time they retire.
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