The State pension remains a cornerstone of most people’s retirement plans — yet fewer than half know when they’ll receive it.

You may assume it’s the 20-somethings, years away from retirement, who are blissfully unaware of their State pension age (SPA), but government research found that 42% of 54 to 64-year-olds did not know the date they are eligible for their pension.

This confusion may be due to the fact the SPA has increased in recent years, and will rise again next year.

The State pension is currently worth around £11,500 a year, and for now men and women collect this on their 66th birthday.

• From April 2026 the SPA will rise over a period of two years to age 67, so those born after 6 March 1961 won’t collect until they reach 67. Those in the transition phase, born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961, should use the gov.uk pension checker to check the month this becomes payable.
• To further complicate matters, the SPA will rise to 68 again over a two-year period from 2044 — although there are proposals to bring this forward to 2037. A final decision on bringing this date forward was postponed by the previous government.

Whether you’re two or 10 years from retirement, it helps to have a robust plan in place that also covers company and private pensions, alongside other savings and investments. People often end up with a hotchpotch of savings plans, so it pays to track down lost accounts, get up-to-date valuations and look at the pros and cons of consolidation.

Think about the income you will need in retirement. If there’s a shortfall, consider saving more now, or working for longer. You can defer the State pension, for example, and receive a higher payment, helping to attain the retirement you want.