Working full time until 67 - is it possible or realistic?

[Hopthegoodgod]

I will not be able to take private pension until 67 yrs as I started paying in later in life.
Is it realistic to assume I can work full time
( state school teacher) ? Colleagues suggest I am being naive. I am in good health atm and not overweight or a smoker/drinker. However recent comments about how our working memory/body deteriates have got me doubting myself.Would welcome comments on personal experience or opinion?

They are all talking about how THEY personally feel about it not necessarily how it is for everyone. Mindset and health are what matters.

I would add to mindset and health, the nature of your job and also other demands on you (caring responsibilities in particular) will affect how long you feel able to continue.
And of course finances, as if you've no other choice you just keep going!

I really don’t think 67 is old at all. My mum is 62 this year and I think she could definitely go back to work if she wanted (she retired early by selling her business a couple years ago)

I’m a nurse and already knackered at 46, not sure how I’ll go til 67

My 72 year old Mum is still working a 45 hour week as a carer for people with special needs. She has zero plans to reduce her hours let alone retire so yes for many it is possible.

I have zero intention of following in her footsteps however and will be quitting my NHS jobs this nanosecond I can which should be 60ish.

you can as long as you look after your health,
you want to live after you retire after all

My DPs both worked FT as GPs, a demanding, long-hours job, until age 70.

Depends on the individual.

My mum retired at 62. My dad has just retired in April, he is 67. He was a welder/fabricator which is a very physically demanding job. I don't think he could have done it for many more years though.

State pension will most likely be 70 for my age group when they come to retire and that will be ridiculous!

I worked with someone who was eventually pensioned off with dementia. He'd previously been super sharp but was becoming forgetful.

These sort of threads always bring out the positive stories. The people who we all hope to be still fit and active at 70.

Reality many just won't be still fit active and with mental capacity at 70.

When does your state pension start?

Honestly - very unlikely as a full time class teacher with a 'normal' timetable (e.g. a fair share of large KS3 classes).

You can definitely keep working though in a less physically demanding role. It's the special nature of teaching, including the expectation to be standing for most of the day, that would make it very difficult. I'm only saying that as I don't know of anyone with a 'normal' timetable who managed to stay fulltime up to that age. Some switched to full time TAs, which was less tiring, but obviously a lot less pay. Some moved to desk jobs in local council - depending on the level, some of the pay here can be quite similar to a classroom teacher, as least at the lower end of the teacher's scale.

Some teachers who only taught KS5 subjects (e.g sociology) managed, so if this is an option, maybe you could look at moving to a sixth form or FE.

Not a teacher, but I have a 77 year old work colleague. Yes he works full time.

Good for him.
Many don't even see 77 or and for many others if they do they are loitering around in nursing homes.

Yes some people are still super fit at 77 those are the handful who'll see 100. Many in their 70s are just not fit.

my balance is shot and I fall for no reason

That's not normal. Have you seen your GP? Tried Pilates?

Of course you can - there’s plenty of women in my place of work that are 70 and over. Absolutely fine. Don’t be ridiculous 😂

My mother is 72 and can stand up from sitting on the floor with her legs crossed WITHOUT using her hands - age doesn’t mean you have to become completely useless .

Not being able to get up easily from the floor doesn't render a person useless!

Teaching is particularly tiring. I'm in my sixties, have dropped a day, but honestly, I am so tired by the time I get home I can barely speak. I do enjoy it still, so don't want to give up completely, but full time till 67 is a very big ask.

We had someone working in their 70s (office role). They were pushed into retirement though eventually.

I saw them recently and to be honest they didn’t look too good. Sometimes people really do live for work.

I'm a full time student welfare officer at a large state secondary school, nearly 50 and although I enjoy many aspects of my job there is absolutely no way I could do it for another 17 years.

I've started an OU degree and am planning a career move that means I will earn more. I plan to relocate to reduce my mortgage payments (divorced early forties so that runs until 67 as well), and go part-time/hybrid working when I'm around 55.

I'm 61 and can't see myself retiring until I'm at least 67, health permitting. I enjoy my job, I like working and I love the money so while I'm still fit and healthy I'm keeping going.

At least half of my colleagues are aged 60 to 80. We don't have physically demanding jobs and we aren't teaching, but we do have quite stressful work.

I've always assumed I'll work until statutory retirement age. Maybe I'll go for longer on a part time basis. It's never occurred to me to think about retiring early.

If you feel fit enough to keep working full time, go for it!

I had intended staying full time until 67 but that has been knocked on the head. I’m a peripatetic teacher and I’ve recently dropped down to 4 days a week, due to disability (which means I can’t drive) and being a carer for a parent with dementia.

You never know what life might throw at you, but nobody else has the right to decide for you.

I work in a very small team and the majority of the team are over 65 (I'm mid 50s). Honestly, they are slow, make mistakes etc. I'm not the manager so it's not my business but they're not as sharp as they probably think they are. They're intelligent professionals but age catches up to you.

My father is 79 and works 3 days a week in a brain job. They got him out of retirement about 7 years ago. He starts his day with a 6 mile walk. Works. Then cycles in the evening in his lounge.

It's kept him very sharpe.