![\"Department](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/department-for-work-and-pensions-on-5th-february-2024-in-london-united-kingdom-the-department-678805.jpeg\" "\\"Department")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The State Pension age is rising to 67 from April 2026 (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed a delay to State Pension payments following a law change in April.<\/p>\n
The State Pension age<\/a> in the UK is set in law and under the Pension Act 2014 is currently set at age 66 for both men and women. But this is legislated to rise from April 2026<\/a> to age 67, affecting anyone born on or after April 1960. The age increase will be phased in over a two-year period between April 2026 to 2028 and this will impact people who have a 66th birthday that falls within this time frame. The change means that people with a birthday between April 6, 1960 and March 5, 1961, will still be eligible to claim their State Pension<\/a> at age 66 \u2013 but not everyone will be able to do so immediately, meaning a delay in claiming payments<\/a>.<\/p>\n As the age increase<\/a> is being phased in, people due to turn 66 between these dates cannot claim their pension immediately after their 66th birthday as is currently the case. Instead, peolpe will instead have to wait a specified number of months, depending on when they were born.<\/p>\n Read More: State pensioners hit with \u00a34,500 HMRC tax bills <\/a><\/p>\n Read More: The 3 State Pension changes hitting bank accounts from April <\/a><\/p>\n The April law change means that some people will be closer to age 66 when they get their State Pension<\/a>, while others will be only a month or two away from their 67th birthday by the time they are allowed to claim their first payment.<\/p>\n