To wonder if you know anyone who has never really worked?

[doitanyways]

If so, how did their life pan out?

In particular, what did they do after retirement age?

[SoleSource]

Just my severely disabled DS. He is 17.

[DonkeyOaty]

Yes my friend with severe multiple disabilities. Not retirement age for another, what, 27 or so years yet

Why you asking?

[abbsismyhero]

yes but she isnt retired yet! she was married young he supported her then abused her and her dd is severely disabled her mom had to stop work for her disabled children too and she got by on benefits after retirement age and died in a lot of debt

[DyslexicScientist]

Yes. They are the worst at spending money despite being very wealthy. She wastes alit if petrol making sure she's got the cheapest price for something. Almost like its a hobby. Does do a lot for charity and the local community. Divorced and not looking to meet anyone else.

[goodnightdarthvader1]

Yup, my lazy-ass cousin. She's now a "carer" to her mother, which is a convenient way of making money while not doing anything to help her. Throughout her life she's made various excuses for why she couldn't work. She has no children. And no work ethic.

[SoleSource]

Lots of people can't/do not need to work. Doesn't make them inferior to anybody else.

[Babyroobs]

I have a friend who left school in 1986 when I did and has never really worked as he went to Uni, then became a lone parent then develped mental health problems and is possibly now unemployable. He is pushing 50 and never done paid work just short stints of voluntary work. He lives off benefits. I guess he may get work in the future but doubt he has much chnace of bulilding up a pension.

[CMOTDibbler]

My friends mum has never had a job. She went from school to uni to SAHM. Had a large family, and did family/church stuff once they had left home, but now is involved with her many gc.

[Squarerouteofwine]

Yes I know lots of people who have never worked. Think my town has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the uk.

[Postitblue]

If this is in regard to people who could have worked but chose not to I can see why this is interesting to discuss. (I.e. Not people who are unable / long term sick etc)

[FattyNinjaOwl]

I'm 24. I've never really worked. Between getting my qualifications, volunteering and having my children, and having limited mobility for 2 years I've not had chance yet.
I'm not retirement age though.

[goodnightdarthvader1]

Doesn't make them inferior to anybody else.

IMO, unless you have disabilities, children, or shitloads of income from your poor DP, you're not contributing to society, so shouldn't expect to get any benefits from it.

[Stevenhydesafro1]

Certainly in my grandparents generation many women didn't work.
As for now, my sister has never worked she's mid 40s, has no skills and freely admits she gets enough in benefits with one child still at home.
I don't understand what you are asking about post retirement, do you mean financially or you pass the time?

[DrGoogleWillSeeYouNow]

Yes, my sister and several of my mums family. My sister worked a few months when she was 16 then literally never worked a day since and she's now 34.

No real reason for any of them not to work, lots of playing the system, and none of them are at retirement age but will be interesting to see what happens when they are.

[AutumnLeavesArePretty]

Plenty I went to school with never worked, just had children so believed they didn't need too. All female though, the men seem different which is usually the case in real life.

No idea what they will do at retirement age. Those with partners will likely just continue to live on their partners pension, those without will just go on claiming state benefits. You get a pension pretty much regardless of never working.

[LouTheMac]

My mother in law hasn't worked since she gave birth almost 40 years ago. It has put me off any imagining of never having to work again as she is a very old 65 in her thinking and doesn't have much of a life outside the home. It's quite a sad situation really, I think she lost all her confidence a very long time ago.

My single parent cousin (4 kids) has never really worked, certainly not since having the children 16 years ago but that's a complex situation as she and one of her children have additional needs. But I do fear for her future when her parents aren't around to support.

[bishboschone]

Yes , I know quite a few . I chose not to mix with them , my dh works very hard and pays A lot of tax.. I find it hard to watch them swan around not working and having more babies when the youngest goes to school..

[MrsTerryPratchett]

My MIL only worked for money very briefly. Was a lovely mother and a great Nanna. Unfortunately died of cancer before retirement age. If she was still alive we would have had another child. She was so helpful and caring.

I count 'women's work' as work though.

[Allyearcheer]

Yes, middle aged and has lived off family money. Suspect is waiting for final relative to die to inherit enough to fund retirement. Has no dp and no kids.
Tbh, not sure has done her any favours. She quits things easily as she has never learnt to stick at anything as she has never had to and has never learnt how to get along with people she disagrees with ( as you have to do at work), and seems incapable of understanding other people's point of view. Which creates conflicts in her relationships whitch makes her unhappy.

[Chattymummyhere]

Well I'm many many years off retirement age but I've never had a job. College had a baby back to college had a baby, sahm having another baby. Dh works and has done since the day he left school. No idea what the future will hold however for now and the immediate future I won't be working we manage on dh's wages and it means I can get the kids from school/preschool and will be looking after this one when she's born.

Unless your fully reliant on benefits with no reason apart from being lazy then I don't see the problem, different strokes for different folks.

[SolidGoldBrass]

There's no merit in 'work' for the sake of it and many jobs, these days, are pointless as well as dull and badly-paid. Doing useless, tedious tasks to enrich a corporation is not 'contributing to society' in any way.
People who do not earn a wage from an employer may contribute in a variety of other ways, whether that's caring for a dependent or dependents or creating music/art etc that brings pleasure to other people. This concept of waged work as the only way to live a valid life is not only harmful but is mainly put about by people who don't, themselves, have any need to take a shitty, insecure, boring, unpleasant, unsafe or utterly useless job in order to eat and keep themselves housed.

[Babyroobs]

I also have a friend who worked very briefly for a few years prior to having kids 18 years ago. Has very recently gone back to work a few hours a week, hopefuly she has time to build up a decent career( she is early 40's) and a pension.

[Bellejournee]

A relative. In their thirties, so not even close to retirement yet. No reason at all not to work and has never attempted to get a job since leaving school, but was very happy that one of her children was statemented so she could 'care' for him. That itself is the biggest joke ever - the relative hasn't got a caring bone in her body. House all paid for, iPads for all the children, tvs in every child's room (4 bedrooms), smokes, 3 holidays s year, new kitchen and bathroom recently. Pretty nice life for some.

[bimandbam]

Yes my auntie. And my uncle worked for a couple of years to be a carer for auntie. They.are both in their 60's now.

Auntie has a life long condition. However. It wasn't aa serious as they made out years ago and used to brag at how much money they got for not working and how easy it was to work the system.

Now she is older her condition isn't as managable and they genuinely Couldn't work due to her needs. Unfortunately this has coincided with it becoming more and more difficult to get any help for disabilities. Whilst I sympathise with them I can't help but think they should have worked while they could and got some savings or security behind them.