Overview
- The UK is phasing the State Pension age from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028, with the government using monthly date-of-birth steps to determine individual qualifying ages.
- The next tranche, starting on July 6, affects people born between 6 July 1960 and 5 August 1960 who will reach State Pension age at 66 years and four months.
- Because England ties statutory free bus travel and some benefit thresholds to State Pension or Pension Credit age, many people turning 66 after April 2026 must now wait longer for free bus passes and to make new Pension Credit claims.
- DWP has been sending letters, published the full timetable, launched an online checker and highlighted uprated pension payments under the Triple Lock plus multi-year bus funding as partial mitigation.
- Local variation matters: devolved nations and some English local authorities already set lower travel ages, independent research shows raising SPA can push some into lower incomes, and campaigns continue for a national concession cut-off at 60.