What is the average retirement age in the UK?
On DWP's measure, the average age at which people leave the labour market was 65.8 for men and 65.1 for women in 2026, the highest on record using ONS data. The figures are in DWP's statistics on people aged 50 and over, published on 24 September 2026.
Men's average exit age fell to a low of 63 in 1996 and has risen by 2.8 years since. Women's fell to 60.3 in 1986 and has risen by 4.8 years, partly as their State Pension age increased from 60 to 66. There is no fixed retirement age: GOV.UK says the default retirement age of 65 no longer exists, and people can keep working after State Pension age.
The exit age is a survey-based estimate, and it is not the same as State Pension age or the age a workplace pension can be taken. See how many over-65s work.
When is the next figure out?
DWP statistics are pre-announced on the GOV.UK research and statistics calendar and published at 9:30am. Universal Credit statistics moved from monthly to quarterly releases in February, May, August and November after a 2026 consultation, with the final monthly release on 14 April 2026; provisional estimates were dropped and each quarterly release adds three months of finalised data. The benefits compendium, Benefit Combinations and National Insurance number allocations are now released together once a year. Fraud and error estimates appear each spring, and expenditure tables follow the Budget and spring forecast.
Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.
Where the figures come from
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) statistics and Stat-XploreWhere to find DWP figures on Universal Credit, PIP, State Pension and Pension Credit, how to build a Stat-Xplore table and use the free Open Data API.
Related questions
- How many people over 65 are still working?
- Is the State Pension age going up?
- How many people are out of work due to long-term sickness?
This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about pensions and retirement: all Pensions and retirement questions.