Retirement options

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Retirement ages

Normal retirement age

An individual's normal retirement age (sometimes referred to as default retirement age) is traditionally the age at which, under the rules of a pension scheme, a member can access their pension benefits in full (ie without reduction for early payment). Normal retirement age will often be 65.

While pension schemes can still use the concept of normal retirement age, since 6 April 2011, employers no longer have the unfettered right to dismiss employees on attaining age 65.

Normal minimum pension age and protected pension age

Normal minimum pension age is the earliest age at which members may take their benefits (other than ill-health benefits) as authorised member payments under a registered pension scheme. Normal minimum pension age is currently 55, having increased from 50 on 6 April 2010. It will further increase to 57 with effect from 6 April 2028.

Where members started to take their benefits after reaching the normal minimum pension age of 50 before 6 April 2010 but they were not yet aged 55 by that date, those benefits can still continue to be paid after 6 April 2010 as

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Latest Pensions News

Allowing pension scheme to recoup overpayments before proper notification of recovery would not be equitable (Mr and Mrs D, CAS-52136-P6D3 & CAS-52149-F8K1)

Pensions analysis: The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman has partially upheld a complaint about a return of pension paid by mistake. Martin Scott of gunnercooke LLP looks at the decision.

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Pensions analysis: The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman has partially upheld a complaint about the calculation of a pension. Martin Scott of gunnercooke LLP looks at the decision.

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Law360: Trustees overseeing pension programmes should urgently reassess their cyber-security and fraud defences amid a sharp rise in 'nationally significant' cyber attacks, RSM UK has warned.

TPR’s DB survey finds schemes stay the course on long-term goals but cyber and ESG gaps persist

The Pensions Regulator’s (TPR’s) latest survey of defined benefit (DB) schemes — conducted by OMB Research in March 2025 and published in October 2025 — shows continued progress on long-term planning and risk management, alongside persistent gaps in environmental, social and governance (ESG) prioritisation and cautious attitudes toward surplus release.

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