Answers · UK 2025/26
What is the normal minimum pension age rising to 57, and when does this happen in the UK?
The Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA) -- the earliest you can access private pension savings -- rises from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028. People born before 6 April 1973 may still access pensions at 55 if they do so before that date.
Full answer
The Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA) is the earliest age at which most people can draw from their private pension savings without an unauthorised payment tax charge. The change: - Current NMPA: 55 (has applied since 2010). - From 6 April 2028: NMPA rises to 57. - This affects defined contribution pensions, self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), and most occupational defined benefit schemes. Who is affected: - Anyone born on or after 6 April 1973 will not be able to access their pension until age 57 from April 2028. - Anyone born before 6 April 1973 will reach age 55 before 6 April 2028 and can access their pension at 55 before the change takes effect. Protected pension age: Some schemes have a 'protected pension age' below 57. Members of certain public sector schemes and some occupational schemes that had an unqualified right to draw at age 55 written into scheme rules before 11 February 2021 may retain the right to take benefits at 55 even after April 2028. This is known as a 'block transfer protection' or 'scheme-specific protection'. Important caveats: - The State Pension age is separate and unaffected by this change -- currently 66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. - Ill-health early retirement provisions allow access before NMPA in cases of serious ill health. - Certain uniformed services (police, armed forces, firefighters) have their own minimum pension ages set in scheme rules. Anyone planning retirement close to age 55-57 should review their pension scheme rules and take regulated financial advice to understand their options.
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This answer is informational only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are for the 2025/26 UK tax year. See our methodology and sources.