State pension age increased to 66 – are you affected by the change? Full details
STATE pension payments can only be claimed once a person reaches a specific age, known as the state pension age. The government has been gradually increasing this age and from today, the next increase will occur.
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State pension age has been increasing in increments over the last few years and the changes have been affecting people in staged based on very narrow date ranges. However, from today, the state pension age will be raised again and the change will affect many more people than normal.
From today(October 6), anyone born between October 6 1954 and October 5 1960 will see their state pension age rise.
Anyone born within this range will reach their state pension age on their 66th birthday, regardless of their gender.
Beyond this, the government has plans to increase state pension age to 67 by 2028.
It will then reach 68 between 2044 and 2046.
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In order to receive state pension payments at all a person will need at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions.
These 10 years do not need to be in a row to be qualifying but at least one or more of the following need to be applicable:
- During these years, a person was working and paid National Insurance contributions
- They were getting National Insurance contributions. These may have been awarded if a person was unemployed, ill or a parent or carer
- They were paying voluntary National Insurance contributions
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To receive the full new state pension amount of £175.20 per week, at least 35 years of National Insurance contributions will be needed.
It should be noted state pension payments of any amount will need to be claimed as they are not issued automatically.
State pensions can be claimed up to four months before reaching state pension age and the government details the quickest way to apply is by going online.
Additionally, people can claim their state pension over the phone or through the post.
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Once state pensions are claimed, the first payment will usually arrive within five weeks of reaching state pension age.
After this, claimants will get a full payment every four weeks.
In some circumstances, a person may get part of a payment before a full payment comes through but they will receive a letter informing them of what to expect.
The specific days a person will receive their payments will depend on their National Insurance number.
When a person receives their state pension is dependent on the last two digits of their National Insurance number, as detailed below:
- 00 to 19 – Monday
- 20 to 39 – Tuesday
- 40 to 59 – Wednesday
- 60 to 79 – Thursday
- 80 to 99 – Friday