Tax treatment depends on your circumstances and is subject to change

What is State Pension age?

Your State Pension age is set by the government and is the age at which you can start receiving an income from the State Pension. This is currently set at 66 for both men and women. Due to a higher life expectancy, the State Pension age is gradually increasing and will be 67 by 2028.

Can I withdraw my State Pension early?

You are not able to withdraw your State Pension early. However, you can withdraw your private and most workplace pensions from the age of 55. From 55 you can take all or some of your tax-free cash, start taking an income, or withdraw your whole pension. If you are thinking of withdrawing your pension early, it’s a good idea to first speak with a financial adviser. This is because releasing pension money early isn’t right for everyone as it will leave you worse off in retirement.

What happens if I reach State Pension age and don’t want to take an income yet?

Depending on your retirement plans and any other savings you have, you may decide that you don’t need to start receiving the State Pension as soon as you reach State Pension age. If this is the case, you can defer your pension. This means pushing back the date you start receiving an income until you are ready. And doing so will increase the amount you receive and could make you eligible for a lump sum.

How much is the State Pension?

There are two rates for the State Pension and the income you will receive all depends on the National Insurance contributions you have made.

The basic State Pension is currently £169.50 per week and the full State Pension is £221.20 per week (2024-25). To receive the full State Pension you need to have made 35 years’ worth of National Insurance contributions. And if you aren’t quite there yet, you can make additional voluntary contributions to top up what you have already paid.

Are there any other retirement ages I should be aware of?

As well as the State Pension age and the age at which you can start withdrawing your private pensions, there is one more retirement age that it’s good to be aware of.

When you or your employer set up your private pension, a retirement age would have been set either automatically or by yourself. This is a projected age at which you are likely to retire, and you can change this at any time.

This doesn’t mean that you have to take your pension at this age. It simply helps your pension provider to manage your pension in the best way. The money in your pension is invested in the stock market, and different investments have a different level of risk attached to them. When retirement is a long way off, your money is likely to be placed in higher risk investments. This is because when you are younger you can afford to take more risk as, even if there are dips in the market, you will still reap more reward in the longer term. However, the closer you are to retirement, the less appropriate high-risk investments become. So, as you approach your retirement age, your money will be moved into lower risk investments to secure your savings in preparation for retirement.

Share this

Thinking about your pension options?

We can help you to make the best possible decisions when it comes to your pension.

Taking pension money early is not right for everyone as it will leave you worse off in retirement. Also, tax treatment depends on your circumstances and is subject to change. That’s why it makes sense to get help from a regulated specialist.

The details provided in this article are for general information only and are in no way deemed to be financial advice. All of the material is correct as of the publication date, but could be out-of-date by the time you read the article.
0800 009 3388
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Latest

Pension Access is a trading name of Harbour Rock Capital Limited which is registered in England & Wales as a Limited Company, No. 10290349. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, No. 754580. Registered Offices: Affinity House, Beaufort Court, Sir Thomas Longley Road, Rochester, Kent, ME2 4FD. Telephone: 0800 009 3388. Email: pensionaccess@harbourrockcapital.co.uk
© 2024 Pension Access. All right reserved.
What's in your info pack?
Your FREE information pack contains all the information you need to make an informed decision on wheter or not taking tax free cash from your pension is right for you.
Get your Free Info Pack
Complete the form and we'll send you an information pack
Note: We are unable to advise on the state pension or any pension you are already taking an income from.

    Get your free info pack

    Where should we send your info pack?

    Please complete your details below and we'll send your information pack in the next available post

    Find Your address

    Type in your postcode or start typing your address then select from the drop-down list

    Your address

    We'll post your information pack here

    Keeping in touch

    We'll send you updates by email or text message. One of our specialists may call, just in case you have any questions about your pension. We’re big believers in never bombarding people with calls.

    Safety PadlockYour information is safe with us. Our calls are recorded for regulatory, legal and training requirements. Please see our privacy notice for information on our data practices here

    PRIVACY POLICY

    Hands using calculator to calculate home equity amount