State pension age is rising - how to check when you will receive your DWP sum
STATE PENSION age is on the up, meaning many Britons will have to wait longer in order to receive their sum - and many will want to check when they can get it.
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State Pension age was traditionally set at two different points, depending on if a person was a man or a woman. In the past, men could expect a state retirement age of 65, while for women this was set at 60. However, over time, a process of age equalisation was put into motion, meaning by 2018, the state pension age stood at 65 for both genders.
This, though, was not the end of the changes enacted to the state pension age.
Since then, the age at which a person becomes entitled to their state pension has increased.
This means that at present, the age currently stands at 66, but could rise again in future.
Under current timetables, the state pension age will reach 67 for 2028, and further increases are expected.
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The increases to the state pension age have been attributed to rising life expectancy within the UK.
Now, Britons are expected to spend a larger proportion of their adult lives in retirement than ever before.
But with state pension age changing, many are confused about when they will be entitled to payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Thankfully, there is a tool which is on hand to offer additional guidance.
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A long-standing way of checking one’s state pension is through the state pension forecast.
This service allows individuals to find out:
- How much state pension they could get
- When they can get it
- How to increase it, if they can
People will not be able to use this service if they are already in receipt of the state pension, or if they have delayed claiming it.
But the easiest way to find out this information and use the service is on the Government’s official website.
If this method is not suitable, then individuals can fill in a BR19 application form and send it off by post.
Alternatively, they could also call the Future Pension Centre who will then post the forecast out to the person concerned.
Those who are already in receipt of their state pension, however, will need to contact the Pension Service to find out more.
Recently, experts have warned of state pension age increases to “70 and beyond”.
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As a result, Britons have been warned not to rely too much upon this form of payment to support their retirement.
Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell, commented: “Younger savers should plan assuming they might not get their State Pension until 70 or even beyond.”
Reliance upon the state pension as a sole source of income in retirement is viewed as risky.
Instead, then, individuals are encouraged to save through a workplace pension or put their own money aside for later life.