Tory DWP chief Mel Stride has announced a decision on accelerating the state pension age to 68 has been delayed - until after the next general election.
The state pension age is due to rise due to 68 from 2044, but reports earlier this year suggested ministers wanted to bring that forward - potentially as early as 2035.
The controversial move would have affected all those under the age of 54 and sparked a backlash from middle-aged voters - just weeks before the local elections.
But speaking in the Commons, the Work and Pensions Secretary cited inflation and said the trend in increasing life expectancy had "slowed".
"Since the first state pension age review was undertaken in 2017, however, the increase in life expectancy has slowed," he told MPs.
He said the "rapid rises in life expectancy seen over the last century have slowed over the last decade", claiming: "This is a trend seen to a varying degree across much of the developed world."
He added: "For most people in communities, people alive today are expected to live longer than their predecessors.
"Life expectancy is still projected to improve over time - but compared to the last state pension review, these improvements are expected to be achieved at a slower rate."
Announcing a delay, he went on: "Given the level of uncertainty about the data on life expectancy, labour markets and the public finances, and the significance of these decisions on the lives of millions of people, I am mindful a different decision might be appropriate once these factors are clearer.
"I therefore plan for a further review to be undertaken within two years of the next Parliament to consider the rise to age 68 again."
Mr Stride did, however, say the planned rise in the pension age from 66 to 67 should occur between 2026-2028, which has previously been legislated for.
Responding to the announcement the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said he agreed it was "not the right time" to accelerate the state pension age.
But he said stalling life expectancy rates are a "damning indictment" of the Tory Government in power for the last 13 years.
He told the Commons: "Today's announcement that they are not going ahead with accelerating the state pension age is welcome, and it is the right one."
He added: "It is the clearest admission yet that a rising tide of poverty is dragging life expectancy down for so many, and stalling life expectancy, going backwards in some of the poorest communities, is a damning indictment of 13 years of failure which the minister should have acknowledged and apologised for today."
The ex-Tory Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg also said delaying the decision is a "decision in itself and is not exactly a sign of strength".
Earlier this year Age UK warned raising the state pension age early would have set up "hundreds of thousands of men and women for a miserable and impoverished few years in their run-up to retirement".
