The Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has launched a new inquiry on the transition to state pension age (SPA) ahead of the scheduled increase in SPA from 66 to 67 in April next year.

The committee's inquiry will focus primarily on whether additional support is needed for people in the pre-pensioner age group to bridge the income gap before the SPA starts to rise.

This builds on previous experiences with SPA changes, as the last time the state pension age was increased, there was a jump in the number of pre-pensioners in poverty, with this group already the joint poorest among working-age adults.

In particular, the committee is gathering evidence on the characteristics of the cohort and whether there are any specific issues to take account of in assessing how policies support the transition to pension age, as well as the broader policy context, and whether there are any broader changes that have impacted on people aged 60 to 66 (in terms of either supporting their transition to SPA or making it more challenging).

The committee is also gathering evidence on the current awareness of the state pension age change, as well as whether the government has adequate arrangements in place to assess the impact of state pension age increases.

In addition to this, the committee is asking for insight into whether there is a case for mitigations for people affected by increases in their state pension age, and what form, if any, this should take, including options for a means-tested benefits system.

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