Retirement Age in Europe: Four Countries Compared
Retirement ages across Europe are moving, and not always in the same direction. Germany and Spain are heading to 67, France has paused its reform, Italy links its age to life expectancy and the UK is raising its State Pension age too. This comparison sets out where each country stands, what it means if you have worked in more than one place and how to build a practical plan around it.
Key takeaways
- Germany's standard retirement age is rising step by step to 67, which applies to people born in 1964 or later.
- France suspended its 2023 reform raising the minimum age from 62 to 64 in late 2025, until after the 2027 presidential election.
- Spain's ordinary retirement age reaches 67 in 2027, Italy's standard old-age pension age is 67 and linked to life expectancy, and the UK State Pension age rises from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
- If you have worked in several EU countries, those periods can generally be added together, so request statements from every pension system you paid into.
Retirement age is drawing a lot of searches across Europe, and it is easy to see why. Reforms, suspensions and step-by-step increases make it hard to know exactly when you can stop working and claim a full state pension. If you are an employee, a freelancer, a small business owner or someone who has worked in more than one country, the details matter.
This guide compares the main rules in Germany, France, Spain and Italy, with a quick look at the UK. Then it turns to the practical part: how to find your own figures and fill any gaps before retirement arrives.
A quick note: this article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Pension rules are detailed, depend on your personal record and can change. Always check with your national pension fund or an independent pension adviser before making decisions.
Retirement age at a glance
Here is a simple summary of where each country stands. Use it as a starting point, then confirm your own date with the official pension body.
| Country | Key rule | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Standard age rising step by step to 67 for people born in 1964 or later (reached in 2031) | Deutsche Rentenversicherung |
| France | 2023 reform raising the minimum age from 62 to 64 suspended in late 2025 until after the 2027 presidential election | Your pension fund (caisse de retraite) |
| Spain | Ordinary age reaches 67 in 2027; long contribution records can allow a full pension at 65 | Seguridad Social |
| Italy | Standard old-age pension age of 67, linked to life expectancy | INPS |
| United Kingdom | State Pension age rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028 | gov.uk |
Country by country: what is changing
Germany: the step-by-step move to 67
Germany has been raising its standard retirement age gradually for years. The target is 67, and it applies to people born in 1964 or later, who reach that age in 2031. People born earlier have a standard age somewhere between the old level and 67, depending on their year of birth.
Because the change is gradual, your exact standard age depends on when you were born. Your pension statement from the German pension insurance will show your expected entitlement, so keep it and read it each time it arrives.
France: a reform on pause
France passed a reform in 2023 that raised the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64. In late 2025, that reform was suspended until after the 2027 presidential election. That makes France one of the less predictable systems right now, since the rules could change again after the election.
Because the situation is unsettled and depends on your birth year and career, check your own position directly with your pension fund. Avoid making big decisions based on news headlines alone.
Spain: 67 in 2027, with an exception for long careers
Spain's ordinary retirement age reaches 67 in 2027. There is an important exception: people with a long contribution record can retire at 65 with a full pension. If you started working young and have paid in for many years, it is worth checking whether you qualify.
Italy: 67 and linked to life expectancy
Italy's standard old-age pension age is 67, and it is linked to life expectancy. That means it can be adjusted over time. Check INPS for the current rules and your own record, especially if you are planning more than a few years ahead.
United Kingdom: rising from 66 to 67
The UK State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Your exact date depends on your date of birth, and gov.uk offers a tool to check it. If you are self-employed in the UK, our earlier guide on pensions for the self-employed covers private options in more depth.
Common mistake
Assuming the retirement age you heard years ago still applies. Reforms, step-by-step increases and links to life expectancy mean your date may have changed. Check your current statement rather than relying on memory or a friend's experience.
Worked abroad? Mind the gaps
Many people in Europe have worked in more than one country. That can leave you with small pension entitlements in several places, and possibly gaps you did not know about.
The good news is that under EU coordination rules, periods of work in different EU countries can generally be added together when checking whether you qualify for a pension. Each country usually pays its own share based on the time you spent there. But you need to make sure every period is on record.
Pro tip
Make a simple timeline of your working life: each country, employer or self-employed period, and the years involved. Then match it against the statements you receive. Any year that is missing is a question to raise with the relevant pension body now, not when you are about to retire.
How to build your retirement plan step by step
Whatever country you live in, the planning process is similar. Work through these steps, ideally a few years before you hope to retire.
- Request your pension statements. Ask every pension system you paid into for a current statement showing your record and expected entitlement.
- Find your retirement date. Use the official tools or ask your pension fund for your standard or minimum retirement age.
- Check for gaps. Compare your statements with your working timeline, including periods abroad, self-employment and career breaks.
- Add up your income. List state pensions, workplace pensions and private pensions, and estimate the total monthly income you can expect.
- Compare with your spending. Estimate what you will need each month in retirement, including housing, food, travel and health costs.
- Fill the shortfall. If there is a gap, consider workplace or private pensions, working a little longer or adjusting your plans.
- Plan health insurance. Check how health coverage works in your country of retirement, especially if you plan to move.
Private and workplace pensions
State pensions rarely cover everything. Workplace pensions and private pensions can top up your income, and many countries offer tax incentives to encourage them. Freelancers and small business owners often have no employer plan, so it is worth setting up your own. Compare fees, flexibility and tax treatment, and get advice if you are unsure.
If your income goes up and down, a simple habit helps: set a fixed percentage of every invoice aside for retirement, the same way you would for taxes. Even small, regular amounts build up over the years, and an automatic monthly transfer means you never have to remember to do it.
Health insurance
Health coverage can change when you retire, and even more if you retire to another country. Check what your state system covers, whether you need private insurance and how moving abroad would affect your rights. Build any extra cost into your budget.
A copyable pension tracker template
Copy this table into a spreadsheet to keep all your pension information in one place. The figures below are made-up examples for illustration only.
| Country or scheme | Years on record | Statement date | Expected monthly amount (example) | Earliest full-pension age | Gaps to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany, state pension | 18 | March | €950 | 67 | None found |
| Spain, Seguridad Social | 7 | May | €400 | Check record | One year missing |
| Private pension | 10 | January | €250 | Per contract | Review fees |
Hypothetical example
Imagine Elena, born in 1966, who worked in Spain for seven years and then in Germany for eighteen. She has always assumed she can retire at 65. When she requests statements, she learns her German standard age is 67 because of her birth year. She also finds one year missing from her Spanish record. She contacts the Spanish pension body with her old payslips, adds a private pension top-up to cover the shortfall, and checks how her health coverage would work if she moves back to Spain.
Your retirement age checklist
- Check your exact retirement date with each national pension body
- Request statements from every country you have worked in
- Make a timeline of your working life and compare it with the records
- Raise any missing periods with the relevant pension fund
- List all state, workplace and private pensions in one tracker
- Estimate your retirement spending and any income gap
- Review private or workplace pension options to fill the gap
- Plan health insurance for where you will retire
- Recheck the rules each year, especially in France after 2027
Frequently asked questions
What is the retirement age in France now?
The 2023 reform raising the minimum age from 62 to 64 was suspended in late 2025 until after the 2027 presidential election. Because your situation depends on your birth year and career, check directly with your pension fund.
Can I retire earlier than 67 in Spain?
Spain's ordinary retirement age reaches 67 in 2027, but people with a long contribution record can retire at 65 with a full pension. Check your record with the Seguridad Social.
Do I lose my pension if I worked in several EU countries?
Generally no. Under EU coordination rules, periods worked in different EU countries can be added together, and each country usually pays its share. Make sure every period is on record and request statements from each system.
Will Italy's retirement age go up?
Italy's standard old-age pension age is 67 and is linked to life expectancy, so it can be adjusted over time. Check INPS for the latest rules.
Related reading
The bottom line
Retirement ages in Europe are moving: toward 67 in Germany, Spain and the UK, linked to life expectancy in Italy and on pause in France. Rather than relying on headlines, check your own date with each pension body, collect statements from every country you have worked in and fill any gaps early.
Set aside an afternoon to request your statements and start the pension tracker. The sooner you know your real numbers, the more choices you have about when and how you retire.
