Summary of findings
- The average retirement age in the UK is 65 years for men and 64 years for women.
- Approximately 40% of the British population is now over 50 years old, with 20% over 65.
- Women usually give up work earlier than men, despite needing a larger pension pot due to a longer life expectancy.
- A significant number of workers living in London can expect to be working into their 70s.
- One in 10 workers in the East Midlands usually give up work before they hit 60.
- The UK’s average retirement age sits modestly compared to other OECD countries.
- South Africa has the lowest average retirement age, while South Korea has the highest.
Understanding retirement in the UK
Before exploring the average retirement age in the UK, it’s worth knowing that everyone is free to work for as long as they wish. That’s because Britain has no forced retirement age. That said, it’s fair to say that much of the population would like to leave the workforce at some point.
The age at which you’ll be able to retire will depend on the size of your pension. That’s because it will have to support you for the duration of your non-working days.
In the UK, there are two types of pension: your workplace pension and the state pension. Workplace pensions can typically be accessed from age 55 onwards, though there are differences across schemes. This is increasing to 57 as of 6 April 2028 as a result of changes made in the Finances Act 2022. However, this change will not impact the public service pension scheme for the armed forces, police, and firefighters.
The state pension, meanwhile, has a set age that you must reach before you’re eligible to receive it. This is currently 66 for both men and women. However, due to the UK’s ageing population, the state pension age will likely continue to rise in the future. It is expected to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, before increasing again to 68 between 2044 and 2046.
So, now we’ve covered the types of pensions, let’s take a look at the typical retirement age in the UK.
Average retirement age in the UK
The average retirement age in the UK is 64.6.
According to the Office for National Statistics, there’s every chance this figure will increase in future given the recent shift towards flexible working as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s because the government’s independent statistics provider suggests that increased home working could enable older workers to remain in the workforce for longer.
Average retirement age by gender
As of January 2025, the average retirement age for men is 65.1, while the average retirement age for women is 64. This tells us that women typically leave the workforce 13 months earlier than men.
This is despite women typically needing larger pension pots given they’re expected to live longer than men. In the UK, the average life expectancy for a man is 84 years and for a woman, it’s 86 years.
Interestingly, data from 2021 suggests there has been a 0.2%-0.3% decrease in the average retirement age across both genders. This suggests the pandemic has encouraged workers to bring forward their retirement plans.
Average retirement age by region
According to the most recent Wealth and Assets Survey by the Office for National Statistics, the average retirement age in the UK can vary considerably by region.
For example, 19% of those in the South West of England can expect to continue working beyond the age of 70. This compares to just 10% of those living in the North East. This contrast may be explained by the differences in the cost of living between these regions.
Meanwhile, 10% of those living in the East Midlands give up work before 60, compared to just 4% in both Wales and the South West of England.
The North East has the highest number of people (64%) who can expect to retire at the typical retirement age of 65-69. This compares to just 55% for workers in the South East.
UK retirement age compared to other countries
According to statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the average retirement age in the UK of 64.55 years old compares modestly to the rest of the world.
For example, in South Africa, workers typically retire once they hit 60 years old. Meanwhile, across the English Channel, workers in France are retiring at an average age of 62.75 years old in 2025.
In Greece, workers can expect a later retirement, with the average Greek leaving work at 67 years old. Meanwhile, those living in Belgium and Poland typically retire at 65, and those in Spain are working until 66.67. For the USA, retirement typically takes another year, with the average person entering post-work life aged 66.83.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mexico has one of the highest expected retirement ages. There, workers can expect to give up work at 68.9 years old.
Meanwhile, the usual retirement age in Japan in 2025 is 65 years old up from 64 in 2024. Interestingly, the OECD country that used to claim the highest typical retirement age is Japan’s neighbour, South Korea, at 72.3 years old. However, this has steadily declined over the years and now sits closer to 60.
Methodology
We have endeavoured to use only high-quality primary sources for this research, and we have cited sources with each graph. Key sources include the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Sources
- ONS: Living longer: impact of working from home on older workers
- OECD: Ageing and Employment Policies – Statistics on average effective age of retirement
- ONS: Expected retirement age of adult population by region: Great Britain, July 2016 to June 2017
- Department for Work & Pensions – Working after State Pension age
- Second State Pension age review: independent report call for evidence (Average age of exit from the labour market)
- Retirement age in the UK: When can you retire and get your state pension?
- State Pension Age Review 2023