UK Government Rejects Calls to Lower State Pension Age

The United Kingdom government is facing dual pressures to lower pension ages for general citizens and emergency workers. A parliamentary petition created by Michelle Gill is seeking to return the state pension age to 65, reversing a recent increase to 66 in April 2026 and blocking a planned rise to 67 in April 2028. The petition is nearing the 10,000-signature threshold required for a formal response from the Department for Work and Pensions.

This movement follows warnings from the Work and Pensions Committee regarding declining healthy life expectancy and rising income poverty. Committee Chairwoman Debbie Abrahams argued that citizens should not be forced to choose between working in poor health or facing poverty. In response, the Department for Work and Pensions stated it welcomes the committee's inquiry and will consider its recommendations, though it noted that only 0.02% of Universal Credit claimants were aged 65 or 66 as of February 2026.

Separately, the Department of Health and Social Care rejected a petition signed by nearly 20,000 people to reduce the pension age for ambulance workers to 60. The government cited significant costs to taxpayers and employers as the primary reason for the refusal, noting that the NHS Pension Scheme already offers early retirement options, including a buyout that allows some staff to retire up to three years early without financial penalty.