Shadow chancellor George Osborne will raise the state pension age from 65 to 66 from 2016 if the Tories win the next election, to help tackle UK debts. He has also not ruled out a rise in pension age for women towards 66.
The government has already announced plans to raise the state pension age to 66 but between 2024 and 2026. Bringing the move forward would mean many more people than previously expected, particularly those aged between 49 and 59, having to work a year longer before qualifying for a state pension.
Under the government's existing plans, the state pension age will rise gradually from 65 to 68 between 2024 to 2046. This was designed to help pay for restoring the link between pensions and earnings which both Labour and the Conservatives are committed to introducing before the end of the next Parliament.