AIBU to worry about how I'll manage financially when I'm older?

That’s all very well but I’m not sure I’d count on it tbh

I really don’t think it’s great advice to plan to obtain Pension Credit, for people in their 50s.

I totally agree. Please challenge your consultant re. biologics, @ShiteWithSugar .

Biologics are a long established treatment of RA and represent the standard of care for this horrible disease. It is simply unacceptable that you should be left in so much pain and subjected to the debilitating side effects of your current inadequate treatment.

Agree with the advice to seek expert advice regarding benefits for yourself. if your condition means you are unable to work then you should be able to apply for the health element of UC and be assessed for LCWRA. As you have described RA is a debilitating disease with prominent pain and fatigue impacting function. You need some financial independence OP as nobody knows what the future may hold and you are in a potentially vulnerable position being financially dependent. Good luck!

That is good advice but note you can’t claim pension credit until the youngest partner is 67. When your husband retires you would have to claim Universal Credit until then.

Sorry you are going through this OP.
I would definitely reapply for PIP and get advice from CAB etc on completing form. Make sure you fully highlight severity of condition. Also not sure it would be of any benefit to increase your state pension contributions even if you could afford it as benefits likely to exceed what you would get with state pension.

Exactly this, there are so many fantasists on this site where jobs are concerned. Everyone can just 'retrain' and progress and move up the career ladder blah blah blah

Im waiting for the poster to provide details of the driving on a building site jobs where you only need a few days training and walk into a job on 40k, I would like one of those. Of course I have not a jot of knowledge about how to maintain a vehicle and arent strong enough to manouvre equipment etc, but you know, I only need a few days training and I can get one of these jobs, Im sure they'd give it to me in a climate of high unemployment.

These well-paid physical roles aren't actually open to new people who've just got standalone qualifications and no physical work history, network, or industry connections.

Especially the start. The young guys starting out will be on low wages to start off. OPs husband cant afford to be the trainee or the apprentice for a while.

I dated an offshore guy who was thinking about transferring to a well-paid job on dry land (including driver and train driver). There's a waitlist and non-paid training period for these, not like he could just walk into a role.

Plus for someone whose been a 9-5 office manager a physical shift would be pretty challenging.

It's not being lazy - if you're not physically co-ordinated or resilient enough to safely do your driving or loading you get sacked or it's dangerous.

These physical jobs for men tend to be like coding bootcamps for women - no 50k job at the end. Unless it's something you were already doing or you're prepared to give it 2 years to train and network and work your way up whilst not earning a lot.

It sounds like a good position for him.

It's all a bit farfetched to suggest he magic up a few thousand to retrain in something he knows nothing about and has no experience in or interest in at 50-odd.

I wouldn't assume PC will exist in its current form in 15/20 years time.

And isn't UC for working age only? You may be able to apply for Housing Benefit as a pensioner.

You will be entitled to pension credit which is the same as the State Pension. You will be entitled to have your rent paid via UC. You don’t need to worry. You may end up with more disposable money than you do now. Council Tax will be your biggest bill.

So this is a building site machine driver vacancy, paying between 30-40k

A little more than 'a few days training' needed I think

Key Responsibilities
• Operate a 14T+ excavator for foundations, drainage, and service trenches
• Fine grading, topsoil, type 1, and road formation
• Work with trench boxes, manhole boxes, and lifting operations safely
• Read drawings, interpret levels, and support site engineers
• Maintain and care for your machine, performing routine checks and greasing
Requirements
• CPCS or NPORS (CSCS Affiliated) - Excavator 360 (10T+) with Lifting Ops
• 5+ years’ experience in groundworks or civil engineering
• Team player, reliable, safety-conscious
• Right to work in the UK

I’m on 31 and it is a decent wage.

At 56 you should be taking HRT - it will help with some of the peri & post menopausal symptoms you are describing. Oestrogen is also anti-inflammatory.

You can get social tarriffs for heating etc, water, broadband. You can register with the companies as vulnerable/ disabled for more support.

It’s also worth him looking for a job with a good pension attached.

£35k is significantly more than £30k, especially given the effect in increased disposable income. So worth him looking for a better paid job. Or one with a shift allowance, access to overtime, or if he's travelling, one that's closer to home with lower commuting costs. Or if he did something like a supermarket delivery driver, they'd get a discount on their groceries that helps with costs.

There's always been a shortage of lorry drivers, so that could be a route to better paid work that's got a low barrier to entry. Likewise building site machine drivers. Significantly above NMW, only needs a few days training and once you get a foot in the door, you can earn £40/50k pa or more.

Given we know nothing about where they live, qualifications, skills etc it's just as valid to say 'can he earn more' as it is 'ooh, they must live somewhere where everyone earns NMW if they're lucky'.

And just to add to that, we're in the south east in a tourist town, there is high unemployment here, seasonal MW work, lots of farming MW work which is obivously not full time, usually hiring foreign workers anyway on contracts, housing is still expensive and transport virtually non existent but expensive and not fit for purpose where it does exist. A job paying 30k is considered a really good income here.

You need to apply for PIP. Make an appointment with CAB. There is also a guidance doc on the RA charity's website. Plus lots of info if you Google. You need to fill it in talking about your worst days. Make this your priority.

It will open the door to other help & assistance too, such as food bank referral and other grants, funding or support.

CAB is good as will do a full assessment to see what else you may be entitled to. Have you applied separately for Council Tax benefit? Do you have a prescription pre-payment certificate?

For those making out the husband needs to make more money - I suspect you live in London or another big cities or the SE, and the OP is somewhere like the NE or Cumbria etc. The majority of jobs in these locations (warehouse work, production line work, driving, healthcare aids, farming assistant etc etc) would pay between 25,000-35,000. That is the reality of most people's lives outside of the mumsnet bubble. Not everyone has partner who is a surgeon or finance bro in the city as seems to be the norm on here for some reason.

@ShiteWithSugar

Just saw your heating posted quoted above. Electric blankets are super cheap now due to the heat wave and season.

Here's one from Tesco at £22.

This on a chair can get you through without turning the heating on. Heat the person not the whole home.

Similarly look to buy Merino wool jumpers and dresses off eBay now so you can use them in the winter.

I have Raynauds I layer wool dresses up with tights and wear fingerless gloves and a hat in the winter.

Even rich people do these frugal tricks, (obviously it's harder when you know there isn't a lot of margin) but you can turn frugality into a game and enjoy it. The MSE website has lots of tips and tricks and the forum users are very enthusiastic.

Holidays and days out - are there free museums or places of beauty near you?

I spent loads on days out this year (been ill and wanted to "treat" myself) and honestly I didn't get any more pleasure compared to going to a pretty local park with a pack of biscuits and a Thermos and a book. Wish I'd done that instead!

Have you looked at the money makeover on reducing outgoings. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/money-help/ the website also has useful guidance on flexible ways to earn money

Because this is mumsnet and if you earn less than 100k you are a lazy fucker who needs to pull their socks up!!!

Ignore the horrible posts OP, I honestly cannot imagine what kind of person would come on here, read your post, and think that the appropriate response was to insult you.