State pension age goes upto 65 for women from 2018

The change will come in 17 months earlier than was planned under the current legislation affecting women born after 5th April 1953.

The state pension age for both men and women will then increase to 66 by October 2020, 5 1/2 years earlier than currently provided for. 

Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw has said it's entirely appropriate that the ages should increase in order to manage future pension liabilities. 

The changes have been introduced both here and in the UK to avoid spiralling pension costs for an increasingly ageing population.