A quarter (24%) of UK adults have said they are not aware of their pension age, including 10% of those aged between 55 and 64, Standard Life has found.

In the firm’s retirement voice report, which surveyed over 6,000 UK adults, it was revealed that 22% did not know how much they would receive from the state pension, rising to 29% among 55- to 64-year-olds.

The report also stated that one in five (20%) of those aged 65 and over are also unsure about this.

The state pension age is the earliest age at which people can start receiving their state pension. This is currently at 66, but it is set to rise by 67 by 2028. However, flexible workplace and personal pension plans normally let savers start taking their money from the age of 55, rising to 57 in 2028.

The statistics released by Standard Life follow on from the Government announcement that the state pension will rise by 8.5% next April.

The report also revealed that over one third (38%) don’t know how to calculate their state entitlement, with 37% stating they don’t know what the current value of payments from the state pension are.

Furthermore, a quarter of those surveyed don’t know that their national insurance contributions determine the level of entitlement they will get via their state pension in retirement.

Managing director for retail direct at Standard Life, Dean Butler, said: "The state pension is set to rise by 8.5% next April and remains an important part of most people’s retirement plans, but many are confused on the detail.

"Knowing when you’ll start to receive the state pension and how much you’ll get is an important part of preparing for later life as it indicates how much you’ll need to save in your private pension to meet your expected standard of living in retirement and to be able to retire when you want to. Being aware of your state pension entitlement and how national insurance contributions determine the amount you'll receive could also help to avoid any nasty shocks when you reach state pension age."

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