Work and Pension Secretary Amber Rudd has said the state pension age (SPA) will not be increased to 75, as proposed by think tank The Centre for Social Justice (CDJ).

During a visit to Plymouth yesterday (20 August), the secretary stated there was “no prospect” that the recommendation to increase the SPA to 70 by 2028 and 75 by 2035 would be actioned.

Rudd added: “This is not government policy. Government policy is set at young people entering the workforce to retire at 68.”

When questioned further on whether the SPA age is going to increase, she said: “There is no prospect of raising that age to 75. I would rule it out, yes.”

In its proposal, the CSJ highlighted that the changes would ensure the ratio between workers and retirees would remain in the “sustainable range” for the next 20 years, and claimed that working for longer has “the potential to improve health and wellbeing, increase retirement savings and ensure the full functioning of public services for all.”

However, many criticised the proposal, including former Pensions Minister Ross Altmann who labelled the suggestion as “shocking”, while Hargreaves Lansdown senior analyst Nathan Long said it was “pretty brutal”.

Under current policy, the SPA is due to rise to 67 by 2028 and up to 68 between 2044 and 2046.

Speaking at the Sunflower Centre, a centre for women recovering from abuse, addiction and mental health issues, in Plymouth, Rudd added: “We all live longer and so it’s right, given that taxpayers have to pay for pensions, that we ask people to work a little longer in order to enjoy the rest of their long life, we hope, with a secure income.”

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