When will I receive my state pension?

A. State Pension age is the age when people can choose to start getting their State Pension. State Pension age used to be 60 for a woman and 65 for a man. However, State Pension age is changing for most people.

If you are a woman born on or after April 6, 1950, you will no longer be able to claim a State Pension at the age of 60 and if you are a man born on or after December 6, 1953 you will no longer be able to claim a State Pension at the age of 65.

If you fall into one of these groups of men or women, the age when you can claim your State Pension depends on your date of birth.

Along with the changes in State Pension age, there are changes to the age when you become entitled to some other benefits.

Benefits affected by the changes to State Pension age include:

Pension Credit

Winter Fuel Payments

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Bereavement Allowance

If you are already getting benefits and you are approaching pension age you might need to consult an experienced adviser about how the different benefits work together. If you have a choice between different benefits, an experienced adviser can help you choose which is best for you. You can consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.

State Pension age for women

If you were born before April 6, 1950, your State Pension age is 60.

If you were born on or after April 6, 1950 but before 6 December 1953, your State Pension age will be somewhere between 60 and 65, depending on your date of birth.

If you were born on or after December 6, 1953 but before 6 April 1978, your State Pension age will be somewhere between 65 and 68 depending on your date of birth.

If you were born on or after April 6, 1978, your State Pension age will be 68.

State Pension age for men

If you were born before December 6, 1953, your State Pension age is 65.

If you were born on or after December 6, 1953 but before 6 April 1978, your State Pension age will be somewhere between 65 and 68 depending on your date of birth.

If you were born on or after April 6, 1978, your State Pension age will be 68.

Help if you are on a low income

If you are an older person on a low income, you may be able to claim a means-tested benefit called Pension Credit.

Depending on your income, you may also be entitled to Housing Benefit and a rate rebate.

If you are a woman, you can claim Pension Credit once you’ve reached State Pension age.

Your entitlement to Housing Benefit and a rate rebate will also be worked out differently once you’ve reached State Pension age, so you may become entitled to these benefits even if you weren’t before.

If you are a man, you can claim Pension Credit once you’ve reached the State Pension age of a woman born on the same day as you.

This is your Pension Credit qualifying age. Your entitlement to Housing Benefit and rate rebate will also be worked out differently once you’ve reached this age, so you may be entitled to these benefits even if you weren’t before.

You can work out the exact date of your State Pension age, or your Pension Credit qualifying age, by using the State Pension age calculator on the GOV.UK website.

If you get Pension Credit and you do not live in a care home, you will be able to get help with fuel costs during very cold weather. These are known as cold weather payments.

Get free, confidential and independent advice from your nearest Citizens Advice at www.citizensadvice.co.uk or for further information go to www.citizensadvice.org.uk/nireland