State Pension Age....confused or what!

portchieboy

Sorry if there is a thread....I have tried searching!

I am totally confused by current State retirement dates. My (male ) dob is 4/8/55, my wifes 26/8/55.

Now originally, being born after 1953 we were both set to take pension at 66. I then read somewhere in the nationals that HMG had reacted to the unfairness of those born to Oct 55, and that the retirement date had been brought back to 65 again.

Looking online, I tried a commercial site, supposedly up to date with legislation, and they agreed with age 65 for us both.

I then went to DirectGov....they should surely know, and they came back with 66.

I don't think it is me......

Does anyone have THE answer please, and may be able to point to something on line from official sources.

BTW, a friend who was born in Jan 55 has had a pack confirming 66.

Newly_retired

http://pensions-service.direct.gov.uk/en/state-pension-age-calculator/home.asp
Using this calculator I see that you will both reach State pension age on your birthdays in 2021 when you are 66.

Tuesday_Tenor

[QUOTE=_2012_[/QUOTE]

?typo suspected?

seven-day-weekend

Tuesday_Tenor wrote: »

?typo suspected?

should be on their birthdays in 2021 when they are 66 years old.

debtfreenow

...and then there's the thing about "When do the etcs turn up? - ie things like free buspass, free prescriptions, etc?".

It's my understanding that these things turn up at whatever is currently womens' State Pension Age (think that must be pretty much 61 years old on the dot at the moment then? - ie Feb. 2012).

So it's worth your wife working out exactly when her personal State Pension Age is (in case it's earlier than THE State Pension Age iyswim).

I believe both men and women get the "etcs" at the current womens' State Pension Age. That is, they will currently start getting them at 61? (not 60 on the one hand or 65 on the other hand).

It's also a bit confusing as to when it's possible to start asking for OAP discounts when buying goods and services from shops, etc. Personally, I will ask as soon as I retire and I don't know whether I will get them then, at my personal State Pension Age or at THE State Pension Age. I imagine I will get them when I retire (ie if I work on the basis of "Anywhere students get discount, I should be able to as well as soon as I have retired"). I'd be interested to know at which of those 2 or 3 ages other people have had shops/etc agree to them getting the OAP discount on goods and services.

SnowMan

It is indeed very confusing. Some of the problems relate to proposed changes that haven't been legislated so aren't allowed for in the directgov calculator.

However for a male dob 4/8/55 and a female dob 26/8/55 your SPA will be age 66, the age given by the directgov SPA calculator.

This is because you are both born after 6/10/54 and anyone born after then will be in the category where the legislated increase of SPA to 66 has been fully implemented.

There is a proposal that has not been legislated for (or included in the calculator) that people born after 6/4/60 will be affected by a further SPA increase (to somewhere between 66 and 68) see this page.

However as you were both born before 6/4/60 you won't be affected by these proposals.

It is likely that SPA will be increased further through future proposals and legislation. It is impossible to say but my own guess is that you won't be affected by these changes.

So SPA 66 for you both and keep your fingers crossed.

Newly_retired

Have corrected my post above ( typo) to 2021. Thanks for noticing. Apologies.
Bus passes and free prescriptions in England are still 60 at the moment but will change to women's SPA at some point.
How discounts will be awarded will vary. If a check is made on ID then there will have to be a cut off point, be it womens' SPA, or 65 or "retired".
Discounts at a museum for example are normally just given without verification- or it that I look my age? LOL
Probably the fact that I turn up midweek and assume entitlement.

millie

Newly_retired wrote: »

Have corrected my post above ( typo) to 2021. Thanks for noticing. Apologies.
Bus passes and free prescriptions in England are still 60 at the moment but will change to women's SPA at some point.
How discounts will be awarded will vary. If a check is made on ID then there will have to be a cut off point, be it womens' SPA, or 65 or "retired".
Discounts at a museum for example are normally just given without verification- or it that I look my age? LOL
Probably the fact that I turn up midweek and assume entitlement.

Bus passes are already at women's SPA.

Newly_retired

Thanks for that correction re bus passes.
Nothing stays the same for long these days! It's hard to keep up with what has actually changed already and what is still in the pipeline

bobbyblade

Received a letter the other day my date of birth 04/05/1954 means that I have to work till I'm 65 before I get my pension, gutted !!!!!!:(

seven-day-weekend

bobbyblade wrote: »

Received a letter the other day my date of birth 04/05/1954 means that I have to work till I'm 65 before I get my pension, gutted !!!!!!:(

Not necessarily. It just means you can't get your State Pension until then. You may be able to retire with a private or occupational pension.