DWP urges Brits born between two dates to make vital check now

Millions of people born in the early 1960s are being urged by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to urgently check when they will be eligible to claim their State Pension - as the government continues its review of retirement age rules.

Anyone born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 is being asked to check their State Pension age immediately, amid changes that could affect when they can start receiving payments and access other benefits like free bus travel and Pension Credit.

In a statement, the DWP said: "Your State Pension age is the earliest age you can start receiving your State Pension. It may be different to the age you can get a workplace or personal pension."

The government provides an official online tool to allow people to find out:

• When they'll reach State Pension age
• When they qualify for Pension Credit

• When they become eligible for free bus travel

The DWP warned that "the State Pension age is regularly reviewed, so the results of this tool may change in the future." The full new State Pension currently stands at £230.25 per week, but what an individual receives depends heavily on their National Insurance record.

To receive any new State Pension, individuals must have at least 10 qualifying years on their record. A full pension generally requires 35 qualifying years, though some people may need more depending on whether they were contracted out before April 2016.

A DWP spokesperson explained: "A qualifying year is one in which you were working and made National Insurance contributions, receiving credits such as for unemployment, illness, or caring responsibilities, or paid voluntary contributions."

Men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953 fall under the new State Pension rules. Those born before those dates remain under the older scheme, which includes the basic State Pension and potentially Additional State Pension.

People are also being encouraged to check their State Pension forecast, which gives an estimate of how much they might get and how many more qualifying years they may need. For some, the figure may fall below the full £230.25 a week, particularly if they were contracted out.

The DWP notes: "If you were contracted out, you will usually need more than 35 qualifying years to get the full rate of new State Pension."

Conversely, some people may receive more than the full rate if they paid into the Additional State Pension before 2016. In such cases, the extra money appears as a 'protected payment', which rises in line with inflation.

Another major change is the abolition of the Default Retirement Age, meaning people are no longer forced to retire at 65 and can continue working beyond State Pension age. "You can keep working after you reach State Pension age. 'Default retirement age' no longer exists," the DWP confirmed.

Annual increases to the State Pension are protected by the Triple Lock, guaranteeing rises each April by the highest of:

• Average earnings growth
• CPI inflation
• Or 2.5%

The department advises people to read 'Your new State Pension explained' and use the available tools to get personalised guidance. As the government continues to assess the long-term sustainability of the pension system, experts are warning that more changes could be on the horizon.

For now, the message is clear: if you were born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 - .