The Government is looking to bring forward the date at which the State Pension age increases, according to a report from Money Week.
Under current plans the State Pension age is set to rise from 66 to 67 by 2028. The next increase is currently set for 2046, when the limit will rise to 68. However, under plans being considered by the Government, the next increase could be brought forward by over a decade to as early as 2035. This means anyone aged under 55 now could face waiting longer to receive their State Pension, depending on what year the Government brings forward the age uplift to. Those born after April 1971 will already have to wait till age 68 under current rules.
Why is the State Pension age under review again?
The State Pension is one of the largest single costs the Government faces in its annual budgets. This is why in recent years it has pushed up the State Pension age to save on costs, particularly as life expectancy has soared for men and women in the years since it was introduced. Birth rates have also fallen, leaving less people to pay the taxes to fund an ageing population.
Conversely, critics of the Government’s new plans have highlighted that life expectancy levels have in fact reversed in the past few years, meaning the projected future costs are lower than anticipated. The Government has a life expectancy calculator you can check here.
With recent economic events the Government is finding it hard to plug shortfalls in its budget, with a combination of low growth and high debt costs squeezing its spending power. While politically difficult, increasing the State Pension age is one way for it to save money. The Government is now set to publish its State Pension age review in May.
What should I do?
While many people see the State Pension as a right they accrue through a lifetime of work and paying taxes, there is no ‘pot’ of money being saved into. The Government pays for the State Pension with taxes it rakes in each year from those in work. This is why it doesn’t have the funds to meet commitments it previously made, and why it is backtracking on those historic pledges.
The message here is that you should not rely on receiving a good State Pension income in retirement. While it can help, there are things you can do now to plan to build your wealth so as not to be dependent on the benefit in old age. This includes saving into pensions, ISAs and other tools for building long-term wealth.
If you would like to discuss your options, don’t hesitate to get in touch.