Resources & Insights

Pension Age Rising to 57: Impact on Expats

By QROP Direct Editorial Team · Reviewed by an independent regulated pension specialist · Reviewed 2026-06-10

Pension Age Rising to 57: Impact on Expats

The normal minimum pension age (NMPA) — the earliest age at which most people can access their UK private pension savings — rises from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028. This change was legislated in the Finance Act 2022 and represents a significant shift for those planning to access their pensions in their mid-to-late 50s.

For UK expats, this change interacts with SIPP, QROPS, and workplace pension planning in ways that require careful attention — particularly for those approaching 55 and planning to access pension funds in the next few years.

This guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice.

Key Takeaways

• NMPA rises from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028 — applies to most UK registered pension schemes
• Transitional protections: Some members retain a protected pension age of 55 for specific schemes
• Ill-health exception: Pension benefits can still be accessed below NMPA for ill-health retirement
• State Pension age is separate — this change affects private pensions only, not the State Pension
• QROPS minimum ages are governed by their own jurisdiction but must broadly align with UK rules
• Planning implications: Access strategies for those aged 55–57 in 2028 need to be reviewed

What Is the Normal Minimum Pension Age?

The NMPA is the minimum age at which pension benefits from UK registered pension schemes (SIPPs, personal pensions, workplace DC and DB schemes) can normally be accessed. Below this age, taking pension benefits is an "unauthorised payment" subject to severe tax charges of up to 55%.

The NMPA has been set at 55 since the 2006 pension simplification rules. The government announced in 2021 that it would rise to 57 in 2028, broadly tracking two years behind the State Pension age trajectory.

The increase was legislated in the Finance Act 2022, providing formal statutory authority for the change.

Who Is Affected?

Most people aged under 57 on 6 April 2028 who intend to access pension benefits before that date will be affected — the NMPA increase delays their access by up to two years.

In practice: - Anyone currently aged 55 who planned to access their pension "from 55" may find that, by the time they reach 55, the NMPA has risen to 57 - Anyone aged 56 on 6 April 2028 will have to wait until they turn 57 to access pension benefits under the new rules (unless they have a protected pension age)

Who Has a Protected Pension Age?

A protected pension age (PPA) is a right to access pension benefits below the general NMPA, preserved from before the change.

Protection applies if:

A member was (or is) in a scheme with a "protected pension age" registered before 11 February 2021 (the date the NMPA increase was formally announced). These are typically occupational schemes that had a contractual right to access benefits from age 55 embedded in the scheme rules.

The protection attaches to the specific scheme — it does not automatically transfer when a pension is moved to a different scheme. This is a critical planning point.

Transferring a protected pension:

Under the Finance Act 2022 rules, a protected pension age can be preserved on transfer if: 1. The transfer is made as a "block transfer" to a new arrangement 2. Specific conditions are met

However, the rules are complex and the protection can be lost if the transfer is not structured correctly. Before transferring any pension where you believe you have a protected pension age, obtain specialist advice on whether the protection will be preserved.

Ill-Health Access

The NMPA change does not affect the ability to access pension benefits at any age under ill-health rules. If a member is genuinely unable to work due to ill-health, their pension scheme may allow early access under the scheme's ill-health provisions. The definition of ill-health and the required evidence vary by scheme.

Impact on Expat Planning

SIPP Access Before Age 57

Expats with international SIPPs who planned to access funds between ages 55 and 57 in the post-2028 period need to revise their planning:

• If you turn 55 before 6 April 2028: You can access pension benefits from that birthday under the current (55) rules — but only before the 2028 date
• If you turn 55 on or after 6 April 2028: The NMPA has already risen to 57; you must wait until 57

For those born before 6 April 1973, this creates a window in which access at 55 remains possible — but only if benefits are accessed before 6 April 2028. Those born between 6 April 1973 and 5 April 1975 reach age 55 only after the change takes effect, so they must wait until 57. Expats in both age brackets should review their planning.

QROPS and the 57 Change

QROPS must have pension age rules broadly consistent with UK rules to maintain their HMRC recognition. Most reputable QROPS jurisdictions have minimum pension access ages of 55 or later, consistent with UK requirements.

Some QROPS jurisdictions may update their rules to reflect the UK's 2028 change; others may maintain 55 as their minimum access age. The interaction between UK OTC reporting requirements and QROPS access rules is complex — members should confirm with their QROPS administrator what age they can access benefits.

DB Pension Access Ages

DB occupational schemes have their own Normal Pension Ages (NPA), which vary by scheme (typically 60 or 65 for older schemes, state pension age for newer ones). The NMPA affects when benefits can be accessed from the DB scheme — members who want to take benefits before NPA already face actuarial reduction under DB rules, and those rules still apply.

For public sector schemes (NHS 2015, TPS 2015, LGPS), NPA is set at state pension age (67 for those born after 1960). The NMPA change does not practically affect these members since their scheme NPA is already 67.

Planning Action: What Expats Should Do Now

The NMPA change to 57 in April 2028 is confirmed legislation. Whether it directly affects you depends on your date of birth, but every expat with UK pension savings should review its implications before 2028.

If you were born between 6 April 1973 and 5 April 1975: You turn 55 between 2028 and 2030. The NMPA change directly affects you. If you planned to access pension benefits from age 55, you now need to wait until 57. This is a delay of up to two years in pension access.

Action: Review your retirement income plan. If you were relying on pension access from age 55 to fund early retirement, identify alternative income sources (ISA, savings, investment portfolio) to bridge the two-year gap from 55 to 57.

If you were born before 6 April 1973: You will turn 55 before 6 April 2028. If you intend to access pension benefits before the NMPA rises, you can do so from your 55th birthday under the current rules. However, if you do not access the pension before 6 April 2028, you will be required to wait until 57.

Action: If you intend to take pension benefits before the 2028 change, confirm with your SIPP provider the process and timeline for crystallisation. Ensure the PCLS (if you intend to take it) and drawdown designation are completed before 6 April 2028.

If you have a pension with a potential protected pension age: Review whether the pension has a protected lower access age. If the original scheme rules provided for access before age 55 before 11 February 2021, a protected pension age may exist. Confirm whether any consolidation or transfer you have made has preserved the protection.

Action: Check with each pension scheme whether a protected pension age applies. If you are planning a transfer and a protected pension age may be relevant, obtain specialist advice on whether the protection will be preserved before completing the transfer.

Case Study: The 2028 Transition for an Expat Aged 54

Consider David, a 54-year-old UK expat in Singapore who planned to access his SIPP from his 55th birthday in November 2028.

Under the pre-2022 planning assumption, David would have been able to take his pension commencement lump sum and begin drawdown in November 2028. Under the new rules, the NMPA rises to 57 on 6 April 2028 — seven months before David's 55th birthday. David therefore cannot access his pension at 55. He must wait until he turns 57 in November 2030.

The impact on David's plan: - A two-year delay in pension access - Need to fund living costs from November 2028 to November 2030 from other sources - An additional two years of investment growth within the SIPP (which is positive, but only if the SIPP is performing well and David does not need the capital)

David's planning response: he reviews his Singapore savings accounts and investment portfolio to confirm he has sufficient liquid assets to cover two years of living costs without pension access. He also confirms with his SIPP provider that there is no protected pension age that would allow earlier access.

This scenario illustrates why reviewing the 2028 NMPA change against your own retirement date is an urgent action for anyone born between 1973 and 1975.