Average UK Retirement Ages By Profession
Written by
Sophie
Reviewed by
Richard
Date
March 2025
Average retirement ages by profession in the UK
Best careers for early retirement
Not everyone is retiring early
How does the retirement age compare across Europe?
What changes are coming to European retirement ages?
What age do Europeans actually retire?
Typical retirement ages around the world
Could an annuity help supplement your State Pension?
Next steps
We often hear that retirement is getting later and later—but that’s not the full story. While the State Pension age is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028 for those born after April 1960, some people are still bowing out of work well before they reach that milestone.
According to a 2024 study by Phoenix Insights, the average retirement age in the UK now sits at 64. But averages don’t reflect the full range of experiences. Some professionals are in a position to retire earlier, either because of their pension scheme or the nature of their job.
Let’s take a closer look at how retirement ages vary by profession, and which jobs give people the best shot at clocking out early.
Average retirement ages by profession in the UK
Retirement doesn’t look the same for everyone. For public sector workers, in particular, access to generous pension schemes often brings earlier retirement within reach. Here are some standout examples:
Doctors retirement age
A report from the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists in 2020 found that doctors retire on average at 59.6—with male doctors at 59.9 and female doctors at 58.9. Common reasons included health, stress, and workload.
Police retirement age
According to GOV.UK, most police officers finish their careers at 60, though some step down as early as 55. Civilian staff follow the standard State Pension age rules.
Firefighters retirement age
The typical pension age is 60, although firefighters can retire from age 55 with a reduced pension.
Teachers retirement age
Teachers often retire earlier than most, with the Teachers Planning Retirement site reporting a common age range of 55 to 60.
Armed forces retirement age
Service personnel in the Army, RAF, and Navy usually retire at 60, per GOV.UK. Since 2015, this has been the norm for those under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.
Best careers for early retirement
A study by Our Life Plan crunched the numbers to find the careers most likely to allow early retirement, based on pension potential and income.
Top 10 jobs with early retirement potential
| Profession | Estimated retirement age |
|---|---|
| Commercial manager | 46 |
| Taxation expert | 46 |
| Construction manager | 46 |
| Product manager | 46 |
| Marketing | 47 |
| Project manager | 47 |
| IT manager | 47 |
| Electrician | 48 |
| Programmer analyst | 48 |
| Financial analyst | 48 |
Retiring at 46 might seem like a fantasy—but for some high-earning professionals, it’s a possibility.
Not everyone is retiring early
While early exits from work are ideal for some, many people are working later into life. The Centre for Ageing Better notes that nearly one million more workers aged 65+ are active in the UK labour force today than at the turn of the millennium.
What’s driving this trend?
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People living longer, staying active and motivated
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Rising costs and modest pension savings
-
Remote and part-time work making it easier to stay employed
Meanwhile, Legal & General research shows that nearly three million over-50s have returned to work after retiring once already.
Clearly, the idea of a ‘final retirement’ is evolving.
How does the retirement age compare across Europe?
Back in 2014, the OECD found that people in the UK enjoyed less time in retirement than those in most other EU nations. Since then, the gap may have widened—especially with the UK pushing retirement age higher while life expectancy has seen setbacks.
Here’s how retirement ages currently look across some EU countries:
| Country | Minimum retirement age |
|---|---|
| France | 62 |
| Malta | 64 |
| Belgium | 65 |
| Slovenia | 65 |
| Germany | 65 |
| Luxembourg | 65 |
| Spain | 66 |
| Portugal | 66 |
| Italy | 67 |
| Greece | 67 |
| Denmark | 67 |
In the UK, the State Pension age is set at 66, but will increase to 67 by 2028 and potentially 68 in the 2040s.
What changes are coming to European retirement ages?
Several European countries are on track to increase their retirement ages in the next decade, mostly due to demographic pressures:
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Denmark: 67 to 69 by 2035
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France: 62 to 64 by 2030
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Austria: Equal retirement age of 65 for men and women by 2033
-
Belgium: Increasing to 67 by 2030
-
Germany: Reaching 67 for all by 2031
-
Croatia: Women’s retirement age rising to 65 by 2030
What age do Europeans actually retire?
Legislation is one thing—but when do people actually stop working?
According to Trading Economics:
-
Average male retirement age in the EU (2020): 64.54
-
Average female retirement age: 63.81
-
Combined: 64.17
Some countries stand out:
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Earliest male retirement: Slovenia, Ukraine, Turkey (60)
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Earliest female retirement: Russia (56.5)
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Latest across both genders: Greece, Denmark, Italy, Iceland (67)
Typical retirement ages around the world
Here’s a snapshot of retirement norms outside Europe:
| Country | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 66.33 | 66.33 |
| Brazil | 65 | 61.5 |
| Canada | 65 | 65 |
| Mexico | 65 | 65 |
| Hong Kong | 65 | 65 |
| China | 60 | 55 |
| Japan | 64 | 64 |
| India | 60 | 60 |
| South Africa | 60 | 60 |
| Australia | 66.5 | 66.5 |
| New Zealand | 65 | 65 |
(Source: Trading Economics)
China’s retirement norms remain among the lowest globally—60 for men and 55 for women—though increases are expected soon, according to Reuters.
Could an annuity help supplement your State Pension?
If you’ve paid into a personal or workplace pension, you might be able to turn those savings into a regular income using an annuity. With rates currently at their most competitive in years, this could be an effective way to increase your financial stability in retirement.
Next steps
Want to see how much income you could really get?
Check the latest annuity rates or get a personalised quote now through Legal & General, Aviva, or use Retirement Line’s annuity calculator to get an up-to-date forecast — it only takes a minute to get started.
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