Those currently in receipt of a State Pension will be pleased at the news that the Triple Lock will see their pension payments rise by 4.8% as from April. But for how much longer will the Lock… and indeed, the State Pension in its current form, exist?

The State Pension may well be the bedrock to most peoples’ income in retirement, but it appears to coming under attack from all sides at the moment as unaffordable – and also unfair to the generations in work and currently paying for it.

Pundits and thinktanks are particularly questioning the “Triple Lock” mechanism, introduced early in the Coalition Government to redress the balance between the State Pension and average earnings.

Even some leading members of the major political parties are being less than full-throated in their support, and there are also increasing calls for the planned rise in State Pension Age to accelerate.

So what might all this mean for future retirees?

Understandably, doubts about the State Pension’s future is one of the biggest uncertainties shaping how the UK is preparing for retirement, according to new research from Standard Life in their 2025 “Retirement Voice” report.

That found that a third of Brits (33%) expect the State Pension age will reach at least 70 by 2030, and only half (51%) think the State Pension will be available for everyone when they retire, as it is currently.

For those who receive the full amount, The State Pension is set to rise to £12,547.60 per year for the 2026–27 tax year, increasing the total annual cost of the State Pension by around £7 billion to £152.6 billion

According to Standard Life’s data, less than a third (29%) of Brits think the Triple Lock will still be in place when they reach retirement, with Gen X among the most sceptical – just one in five (21%) expect it to remain intact.

Rising State Pension age and regional inequality

Misconceptions around the current State Pension age also exist. While it currently stands at 66, fewer than one in five (18%) correctly identify this, dropping to just 14% of Gen X and 13% of Gen Z.

Furthermore, while the State Pension age is currently due to increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and again to 68 between 2044 and 2046, a third (36%) actually believe it is already 67.

Worryingly, almost one in ten (8%) think it is still the age of 60, rising to one in five (19%) of Gen Z.

From April 2026, the State Pension age will begin to rise to 67, however this change won’t impact all regions equally, partly due to significant differences in life expectancy across the UK.

Men in Blackpool, for example, can expect approximately 6.1 years of State Pension payments on average, compared with 14.5 years for men in Kensington and Chelsea. Women in Blackpool can expect approximately 11.9 years of payments, compared with 19.5 years for women in Kensington and Chelsea.

Private pensions “not plugging the pension gap”

While confidence in the State Pension is eroding, Standard Life’s data also shows that private pension saving is far from bridging this gap, with just 15% prioritise pensions savings and almost one in five (17%) saying they don’t have a pension.

Furthermore, just over half (53%) of Brits worry that they’re not saving enough now for when they’re older (up from 51% in 2024) and almost half (47%) feel their retirement finances are outside their control.

A growing number (50%, up from 46% in 2024) also expect to work beyond State Pension age – potentially reflecting a lack of confidence that the system will support them by the time they reach retirement age.

Catherine Foot, Director of the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, commented: “While raising the State Pension age further and faster than currently planned would impact everyone, it’s clear that the impact wouldn’t be felt equally, given the wide variations we see in life expectancy across the country.

“What’s more, in some parts of the UK, people are more likely to stop working earlier due to health conditions, disabilities or caring responsibilities – meaning they may struggle to reach the age at which the benefit becomes available.

“The revival of the independent Pensions Commission,” she concludes, “is an opportunity to take a fresh look at how the whole pensions system can adapt to longer working lives and shifting demographics.”

How can the RetireEasy LifePlan help you retire at a time of YOUR choosing… regardless of what happens with the State Pension?

Factoring in changes in the State Pension by the time you reach retirement age might play a key part of your planning… not least if it represents an important part of your income.

Just key in your data and the LifePlan will tell you at a glance when (on their current growth trajectory) your pensions, savings and investments allow you to retire with peace of mind.

You can also build in allowances for any changes that might crop up – such as changes in the State Pension or State Pension Age, inflation, downsizing, helping a family member get onto the housing ladder or taking that long-planned trip of a lifetime – and test out those scenarios.

If the figures look like falling short, then you have time to adjust how much you are saving or when you retire.