A pensions bombshell

THERE'S a small but significant pension detail that's easy to overlook, and 2026 marks a critical window to check whether it applies to you.

- by Katie Elliott

Most people can't access their private pensions until age 55, but this minimum age is rising to 57 on April 6, 2028.The change will affect people born after April 6, 1971. However, some savers have a special right to take their pension earlier, regardless, and this is known as the protected pension age (PPA). A protected pension age allows you to access certain pension benefits before the normal minimum pension age (NMPA). In many cases, this protection sits at age 55, effectively shielding you from the 2028 increase. Some older schemes for those in occupations which are considered "dangerous" or high-impact, like those of athletes or offshore workers, even allows access from age 50.