a rise in the state pension age to 67 for both sexes in 2036 had been proposed by gordon brown in the 2000s, followed by a rise to 68 in 2046. by 2014 the date set for the rise to 67 had been brought forward to 2026 and in 2018 the rise to 68 was brought forward to 2037. this last change alone resulted in an anticipated reduction in dwp expenditure of £74bn by 2046–47.