The State Pension age should not be increased unless there is a corresponding rise in healthy life expectancy, says Pensions UK.
The organisation also called for savers to be given at least 10 years’ advance notice of an increase being implemented to provide them with ample time to prepare.
The State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women but is set to rise in stages to 67 by April 2028.
However, the Government launched an independent review in July 2025 to assess the appropriateness of the UK’s State Pension age based on updated life expectancy and financial pressures.
Pensions UK says the Government must take a “balanced, evidence-based approach grounded in transparency and public engagement” when considering changes to the age or uprating mechanisms.
It argues that any increase should be contingent on a corresponding rise in healthy life expectancy to ensure fairness across the population. Since 2017-19, healthy life expectancy at birth has fallen for both men and women, with regional variation across England, Scotland and Wales.
Raising the State Pension age without consideration for these differences risks deepening inequalities, it warns.
The group also said retaining a single state pension age is best to avoid confusion amongst savers but the Government should be open to ideas to increase flexibility to retire early in certain circumstances.
Once a clear adequacy level for the State Pension age is achieved, Pensions UK says consideration should also be given to transitioning the triple lock guarantee to a “more sustainable uprating mechanism.”
This approach would balance the need for adequate pension income with fiscal responsibility, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the State Pension system, the group said.
Joe Dabrowski, deputy director of policy at Pensions UK, said: “The State Pension is the backbone of most people’s retirement savings, representing about half of total retirement income.
“The UK will already have one of the highest State Pension ages in the OECD when it reaches 67 for all in 2028. Any further increases must be matched by a corresponding improvement in healthy life expectancy so that future retirees enjoy the same number of years in retirement.
“It is also vital that changes to the system are clearly communicated at least 10 years in advance to give people time to plan for the future.”
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