How can I carry on working until I'm 67?

[hulmegirl1]

I work in the NHS and it's a physically and mentally demanding job that although vital is not well paid.
I am in my mid 50s and am definitely a lot more tired than I used to be.
Quite often I get home (my job means I'm standing most of my shift) and I'm exhausted physically and mentally.
I can't see that I can carry this on until I'm 67. My husband is five years older than me and self employed and doesn't earn much so we rely on my meagre salary to ensure the bills are paid.
Does anyone have any ideas how we are all going to cope with this new reality?
I know if I'd been advised a lot sooner I'd have made very different decisions.
I still have never had a letter advising me of my retirement date and really was not aware until well into my 40s.

You get threads on here saying 60 is middle-aged so I don’t see working until 67 is that bad actually

Mumsnet is quite strange about age. No one is ever allowed to be old or say they feel old. People think 60 is middle aged I’ve seen that a few times. I have yet to see many people living to 120...

I think expecting people to work full time in a demanding physically active job until their late 60s is asking a lot. A few lucky people could do it but the vast majority would struggle, even without health related issues. Bodies slow down as people get older, fatigue becomes much more common.

Ironically there are lots of threads on here from people in their mid 30s saying how tired they are and how they suddenly feel their bodies have give up (!) and yet at the other end everyone says they’ll be happily working till they’re 180....

@Coppersulphate pay rise? What's one of them? Savings? Nope don't understand that either.
Single mum, mortgage, running a car and paying bills - left in the shit by my narcissistic exh and can't afford to move.

Not everyone lives in a perfect world

Haffiana,I agree with you ,but only knew a while ago that all our pension payments through National Insurance go into one big pot .So we are effectively paying for todays pensioners, who paid for the pensioners when they were working and so on.Not at all fair in IMHO, but there it is .Not the same as a private pension when your money is put away in your name!

I actually cannot see that I'll be physically able to carry on doing the job I do and I know many others are in the same boat. I'm desperately trying to find a less physical job, although the pay will be much less.
I've accepted that I'll be working until 67, just wondered how everyone else is going to cope with what we are facing. I don't consider myself unfit but truly my job and many others is not one you can possibly do into your 60s.

I can understand your feelings, OP. Another thing I worry about with the current situation, with people having to work longer and longer, sometimes into their 70s, maybe just to get by, is how will jobs be freed up for younger people.

SteelRiver it's something my friends, family and I have spoken about too. It's worrying all round isn't it? Who knows where it is all going to end. One of my colleagues has just been 70 and for his age is very fit. He only works four hours each day but says that he falls asleep every afternoon when he gets home because he is so tired. He did not join the NHS until his 50s and says he simply cannot afford to retire yet.

I can retire in 3years and then to make ends meet work part time until I get my state pension at 67.
Like you an NHS worker in a physically and mentally wearing role.I struggle sometimes with a shift work including nightstand do wonder how I'll manage.

@coppersulphate it’s not difficult to understand. No one knows what the future holds so would rather save the money for there’s kids than lock it in a pension scheme, then when they save so much the benefit stop and they go over the threshold then there’s not much point saving. For people like me in a precarious situation job/life wise i’m always aware if I save so much it’ll get frittered as soon as i’m out of a job and never been in one job long enough to bother with the pension scheme as a lot handed it me back for ending it in less than two years.
I am nearly 40 though and very worried about the future.

My mother-in-law is in her early 60s. She stopped her NHS cleaning job as she couldn't manage. She has COPD and a bad back and seems quite obviously low-level unwell all the time. She is now claiming Universal credit and has to walk to the job centre 3xweek to do job searches (she doesn't have a smart phone/computer etc) and also is always having to do courses. I feel so sorry for her 😞

UndertheCedartree Your poor MIL! I can see that this will be the case for many. Struggling on in work that is really too physically demanding (I suspect that a lot of those people who are saying they will go on working have never done shift workor had to stay on unpaid after their shift officially ends to cover staff shortages) or living hand to mouth because they simply cannot physically carry on working or even find a job. Lots of libraries around here have closed or have really restricted hours making it even more difficult for people like your MIL.
I have not had a TV package since 2006, don't have NETFLIX or games consoles. My husband is self employed for which he needs a vehicle but it's the only one we have and we saved for it. He has to have a mobile phone for business but we only have one between us. The internet is also necessary for his business but I shopped around and we have the cheapest most basic package available in our area. We don't have a dishwasher, tumble dryer or massive TV. We have one small TV in our lounge. I find it offensive that some people on here imply that lots of people are feckless spendthrifts who waste money instead of saving for pensions. Some are but many are not. I have spent a fortune on commuting during my working life and god knows how much time. As some others have said the commute itself is wearing and often spent standing due to lack of seats on overcrowded public transport. I realise I am a lot luckier than many but that notwithstanding there are many many jobs, my own included that will be very difficult for people in their 60s to do. I suspect that long term sick will increase as people simply find they can't continue. This of course will have huge cost implications all round.

When I get a pay rise it usually goes on my ever increasing bills (most out of my control) and yes, I might use anything left to improve my pretty modest lifestyle. After all, none of us ever know if we’re going to still be alive to enjoy retirement.

Probably not sensible but that’s human nature for you (I do have a private pension plan in place).

I have had a cut in real terms in pay over the last 10 years.

I feel sorry for your MIL. People who are chronically unwell like that all the time struggle to work, but are not ill enough to get disability benefits. My mum by the time she retired was like this, and her health improved considerably when she was no longer working full time.

I'm 40 and already thinking like this. Active NHS job for the last 15 years. I give myself another ten -fifteen or so full time in that type of role. Then I hope to go part time maybe 30 hours or so maybe in a completely different job. Who knows.

We have a plan. We have a small mortgage which is being overpaid so I'm aiming for 55 maybe earlier hopefully. We have chosen not to have kids so we do have a little more money, once things in the house are done we shall save
more which will be split for retirement money/everyday savings.

I do understand why the pension age is like it is we are an ageing population and can't pay for everyone. But I also saw my dad struggle to get work in his early 60s so he still ended up with state money via benefits.

I think the other thing to consider is whether or not you are in a "young people's" game. I am in an allied health position where not many people are in the NHS over around 50 or so. You don't half feel silly working alongside 22-year-olds. I have the energy but you stick out like a sore thumb and are usually very sick of the ridiculous features of working for the NHS by then.

I understand OP. I am 52 have chronic pain all the time and have 2 disabled sons. I also have to care for my parents in their 70's and hold down a 30 hour a week job. It is getting harder and harder. I have been retraining for the last 4 years as a counsellor as I know one thing I can do is sit down. Bit it has been so hard and has nearly broken me at times. I too would start to look for another job if you can. I cannot do the job I am currently doing until I am 67. I also cannot live on £62 a week while caring for 4 people.

God it seems so many are struggling on day to day. I would also add that many of my much younger colleagues tell me that they are shattered and don't know where I get my energy from. Most of these have no caring responsibilites as yet and are already struggling so who knows what the future holds long term for all of us.

The problem is that many people expect the state to provide for them.
So?
The state is there to make sure everyone including the most vulnerable can access decent public services and a basic standard of living.
What's wrong with that?

For what it's worth I don't expect ever being able to afford retirement, despite a private pension fund. That's thanks to posters like copper .

Sorry PMSL @ payrise in the NHS

You need to look at alternative roles either in the nhs or outside. Ward work is not sustainable.

I moved away from ward work while only in my mid 30s due to the fear of not being able to physically do the job in my 50s, etc. An opportunity came up, earlier than I needed it, but I jumped into a clin ed role. I know other people who have moved into the blood transfusion team, infection control, etc, those sort of roles.

Also nurses who have left the nhs and done stuff like disability assessments for people making claims, either benefit claims or insurance claims for injuries.

Other nurses who have trained as nail technicians. Someone I know is training to do Botox fillers.

I remember years ago this question was asked to an MP on question time and he said we had to stop thinking of careers for life and think about alternative roles. He mentioned B&Q which I kind of sniggered at because the impression he gave was that in their 60s everyone could just go and work there no problem. He was slightly in cloud cuckoo land because b&q will not have enough jobs for everyone in their 60s but I guess his point was that if you can't teach, be a builder, prison officer, nurse, etc think what you can do.

My advice is do it sooner rather than later. Don't wait until you're struggling or older.

Thank you very much to all those who made suggestions, offered help or simply understood. I am definitely looking for a more sedentary job, though I suspect that with so many of us feeling this way there will be a lot of competition.

I really do not feel sorry for myself and realise I am better off than many. It's helped to know I'm not on my own feeling this way but I guess we just have to get on with it the way we have throughout our lives.

I am still in my 40s but definitely don't plan to work full time when I am 67 even if I keepnin good health. Non exec or consultancy roles are way different from the reality of most full time jobs..

I would consider that for sure.

I plan to retire at 60 maximum, but hopefully a bit sooner... I will certainly be counting down at 55!!

I don't worry about it and cant think about it either and assume I will be here at that age. Maybe a PTSD, trauma or mental health thing. Anyone else? I find it bizarre people can plan so far ahead with such confidence!

Well folks, I'll be poorer as I've taken a lower salary but I've managed to land myself an NHS job which means I will be working regular daytime hours behind a desk.
It means a salary cut for me but I have to weigh that up against not being able to carry on working because I'm too physically knackered to do my current job.
My husband is convinced I'll soon be bored and he might be right but I've got to put myself in a position where I can carry on working as long as possible without being exhausted every day.