The SNP has criticised reports that the UK Government is considering bringing forward the planned increase in the State Pension age, warning the move could require millions of people to work longer before becoming eligible for their pension.

The criticism follows media reports claiming Treasury officials have informed the Office for Budget Responsibility that the current policy under consideration is to bring forward the rise in the State Pension age to 68 by at least seven years.

Under existing legislation, the State Pension age is due to rise gradually from 67 to 68 between April 2044 and April 2046 for people born between April 1977 and April 1978.

If the reported changes were implemented, that timetable would move significantly earlier.

The reports have prompted a political response from the SNP, which argues the proposal would unfairly affect workers across Scotland.

SNP social security spokesperson Lara Bird MP said:

“Keir Starmer started his time as Prime Minister by cutting the winter fuel payment for pensioners.

“It looks like Andy Burnham’s time will begin by forcing millions of people to work longer for their pensions.

“These revelations mark a truly terrible start for Burnham and he hasn’t even begun.

“It is a case of Westminster déjà vu, a Labour Party plot to save the UK Treasury £6 billion by punishing pensioners.

“Westminster is lining up to pick the pockets of people who are already working hard for their pension.

“This Labour Party plan will force people to work even harder and even longer to enjoy the basic dignity of retirement.

“Another fundamental injustice of these plans is that they clearly ignore and disregard the demographic differences on these islands.

“For instance, here in Scotland, both men and women have a lower average life expectancy at the current State Pension age of 66.

“On average 66 year old men are expected to live around one year less, and 66 year old women almost one and a half years less in Scotland when compared with their counterparts in England.

“Brexit Britain is broken and these plans are yet more evidence that the Westminster system is a permanent drag on the living standards of the Scottish people.

“Our country, right now and in future generations, will only truly prosper if we choose to build beyond broken Britain through the fresh start of independence in the EU.”

The UK Government has not announced any formal change to the timetable for increasing the State Pension age.