Over 50 and not working by choice. Would a ‘mid-life MOT’ tempt you back?

[PuzzledObserver]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64083802

The phrase “not on your nelly” comes to mind.

There are reasons - good ones - why I retired early. They still apply, I’m not bored, I don’t feel my life lacks meaning, and finances are OK. So I’m finding difficult to think of a reason to rejoin the workforce.

How about you?

We do - and also a house we own outright, and no kids we are worried about leaving an inheritance for. So if it comes to it, the house could be sold to pay care fees.

I’d rejoin the workplace in a heartbeat IF I could:
(a) work term time only, and
(b) go back at the same level I left. I don’t expect to be anyone’s boss again, but I spent 15 yrs ‘climbing the ladder’ and I’m not starting back at square one again with all the 21yr olds sniggering at the 50-something mum.

Unfortunately it seems impossible to have either of these things, let alone both. So on the sofa I will remain. On the sofa, I am Queen.

I am mid-fifties and can't retire. If I could no way would I go back.
I do know an early retired woman who is thinking of going back very part-time because of rising costs. Help to find a part time job might tempt some back.

But there has been a massive rise in people long term sick. This does not surprise me. When the retirement age was raised lots of us knew that for working-class people in a physical job, it would prove impossible to work that long. Most people can't do cleaning and labouring until 68. The government answer is to get a different kind of job, but many of these people will have poor literacy and poorer computer skills, another job is not an easy option. I know someone off long-term sick who has worked all his life as a driver and due to arthritis no longer can. He can't do office jobs, so realistically what could get do?

Planning on retiring in under 3 years time. I will be early 50s.

I can understand that they are worried because both of us are higher tax payers and the more people like us stopping work will mean less paying into the system.

However, you are a long time dead and we have no plans to work until we drop. Also I would trust my IFA more then having a 'government finance MOT'.

I did rejoin the workforce. I'll probably carry on working after I get my pension.
I guess you have your reasons for not working and other people have theirs for working. Anything that helps you do what you'd like to is surely to be welcomed?

I plan on retiring at 55 and there's no way I'd go back once retired. I had a pt job from 14 to 16, and then a full time job since I was 16, I've always paid taxes, so I've done my bit, it will be my time when I retire

Enter into a contract with someone other than myself?

No way!

It means that we did 100% of the childcare and housework and life admin so that DH could focus on work, so DH changed career then got a bunch of mega-promotions and now £25k is a small piece of his xmas bonus.

If I went back to work DH would not be able to hold down his current job and the financial hit of that would be more than my earning power 🤷‍♀️

There is a lot of research to show
People who have worked in mentally stimulating fields may have a significantly reduced risk of developing dementia in later life.
People with mentally tough jobs have a lower dementia risk
It is one of the suggested ways of avoiding Alzheimer's later in life on the Alzheimers website.

I'm in my 50s. Happy to earn what I need and no more. For me that means enough to pay the bills, the odd holiday and a few treats. I could earn more, longer hours, promotion. Not interested. If I won enough on the lottery I'd be handing my notice in immediately! My current job suits me, wfh, very low stress, flexible hours. So yes if I had the finances to retire, nothing would tempt me back.

But won't someone else be doing your job? (If your job is needed?)

That's what I'm aiming at

Doesn't help with the cost of living crisis constantly looming

Unfortunately one side effect they didn't predict with allowing people to access pension pots at55 and vastly increased house prices meaning people could use them
Like ATMs or downsize accordingly (which is totally their right to do so) was that a load of over 55s who felt they had enough would actually leave the workplace and stop paying employment based tax . I know quite a few who cleared off abroad post Brexit too as they didn't like the way things were going.

How completely unsurprising that the increase in numbers of long term sick correlate with the decline in spending on healthcare.

It's not rocket science - stop blaming people and assuming we're all lazy - and start looking at the root causes. Not only are many people struggling with ongoing and untreated health problems, but they have lost faith in health services following years of assuming waiting times can just continue stretching out.

Then there are working conditions. Professional public servants are worked to the bone. Doctors, Teachers, Nurses, Physics, Pharmacists - all very skilled professions - all desperate to leave as their energy levels can't keep pace with the demands on them.

My husband (Asst headteacher) is heading for an early grave after COVID. It breaks my heart. He's required by his employer to start at 7:30am and gets home at 7. All that time is full on, full speed, adrenaline fuelled stress. He's exhausted all the time. He barely lives other than work. When he got severe back problems, he didn't get any treatment on the NHS, they just left him to rot with strong, addictive painkillers.

I'm sure it's the same in other jobs. Teaching is particularly bad.

Terms and conditions and zero hours contracts have left people shafted so many times that they're reluctant to subject themselves to yet another fruitless, soul-destroying round of online applications where you get no replies. Then job interviews where the employer treats you like shit, never getting back to you, just letting you conclude the worst.

Years of super right wing newspapers have eroded away and solidarity. It's just a relentless negative criticism of every and all workers. Why would anyone want to be part of the labour force in this country?

This government have no answers, they are morally and ideologically bankrupt.

It's not hard folks - vote them out!

If I was able to afford to retire now (mid 50's), I would. I would also tell the job centre to shove their "mid-life MOT" as, if I'm not claiming, then it's fuck all to do with them whether I'm working or not. Also are they going to insist that employers start prioritise employing the over 50's? after all it's all very well saying those who have taken early retirement should rethink their decision....but if the employers won't employ them then what's the point?

Yes this. I teach computer science to adult learners in my spare time and there is such a will and eagerness for older people to learn, but poor literacy and mathematical skills really hamper your ability to progress more than the basics. While there are ‘plug and play’ technologies like Microsoft Power Platform that can be intuitive - being good at it by itself isn’t enough. You also need to be good at explaining what you’ve created.

Really hope Sunak recognises this and offers traineeships that help people learn and become confident with the basics. But I get the sinking feeling he’s talking about educated over 50s.

Good point about people not getting access to health treatments quickly enough.

And put pressure on people claiming sickness benefits to get off them and back to work.

The mid life MOT also sounds like a data selling exercise. I would never.

Totally agree @anon666

The government have no idea how systemically undermining the NHS, hell-bent on destroying it and an increasing workforce out because of long term sickness/health is connected?

No, it must be because people don't realise how household budgeting works

I did retire early and return to work 2 days a week. My pension is just about enough to mean that 100% of my earnings are now taxed. So I immediately lose 20% of my salary.
If the government gives me a financial incentive to work more days, I would. I’m a teacher and my school cannot get staff,

anon666

This government have no answers, they are morally and ideologically bankrupt.

It's not hard folks - vote them out!

The first sentence I have no issue with but the second - to be replaced by who ...

Starmer doesn't even know what a woman is and thinks a cretin like Lammy is an appropriate Foreign Secretary

As long as people have enough money to pay for themselves throughout retirement and not rely on the state then why does it matter? And factored in healthcare costs as there's no way we will have completely free healthcare in 20 years time. Why would people go back to work if they have enough money to cover everything?

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain I don't blame you- I'm 61 and if I find myself in that position I'm doing the same- I also like the variety- 2 weeks here and there etc- and no longer bothered about progression.

And if you don't like the job or the people it's only a week's notice!