What if I elect to defer my pension and then change my mind, can my pension payments be backdated to age 60?

Once you have made your decision it cannot be reversed, so if you were to find yourself in the position of needing to claim your pension within 6 months of age 60 having chosen to defer payment, the 8 per cent a year uplift would not be payable and your pension would be payable from the date on which you claim it.