How many people actually work until 67 or 68?

[EstoyRobandoSuCasa]

Neither of my parents could have worked until the (current) state retirement age due to different health issues. Luckily, they were able to retire in their early 60s. And now a family friend has just retired aged 64. His state retirement age is 67, but due to worsening arthritis and the feeling that he's slowing down physically and mentally, he's sure that he couldn't manage another three years.

I accept that this country is experiencing a democratic time bomb due to the ageing population, but just because the Treasury needs people to work longer, it doesn't mean that they'll be able to. I know there are people in their 70s and older who are still fit for work and that some of them enjoy working, but I think they're in the minority.

I’m retiring from my career as soon as we’ve paid off the mortgage - hopefully within 5 years. I’ll still work but it’ll be a job on my terms rather than a job that’s darn near killing me.

My pension scheme initally when paid into was pension age of 55 its now 67 so I am now expected to work 12 more years in the same scheme, NHS. Its a physical job long hours and the options for less manual work are limited. Luckily I can still and will take.part of my pension at 55 with no detriment to.reduce my hours, hopfully I can then carry on another 8 to 9 years before stopping, with some savings to see me through til 67 . I worry about my younger collegues. Taking my pension earlier results in huge cuts. I did prepare , have paid on average 10% of my salery into my pension since I was 20, but will still need to now.work till 65/ 66

Most employers would want you to leave by 60, ideally earlier?

I entered the best paid job of my life aged 67. I only retired because the commute was getting too much to a job I'd stopped enjoying and where the departmental management were frankly arseholes.

Now 72 and after a few years of retirement looking at temp work to top up the SP and pay for all those expensive holidays I want to take.

I am 62. Paid off mortgage. No children. I work 4 days a week. 3 wfh and 1 in central London. State pension at 67. In receipt of two small defined contribution pensions since 60. If all remains equal I would like to work until I am 70, maybe cut down to 3 days a week before then. No desire to retire at the moment.

Im 65 now full time and Im planning to work to 70. Once Im 67 I'll go part time 3 days a week.

We are in our late 60s. We both do an office job - we work part time, working from home. DH is self employed in partnership - I work for him, but mainly his partner. We’ve all been friends for over 40 years. I see no reason to give up in the next few years, except in the case of serious illness.

It's also a problem that many people in their 50s are being made redundant and are having real trouble finding work again. What happens to those people, expected to work until 67 but unable to find work?

My dad is 64 and mum is 62 and they’re both still working. Ones a tradie and the other a shop assistant. They’re both mostly fit and healthy. Dad had a bit of an issue with stenosis but has lost weight, cut the booze and is going well. Mum still acts 50.

DH parents worked until 68/69 because they liked it. Accountants. His mums health has only become fragile around 72 due to diabetes. His dads as healthy as an ox and will live until he is 120 imo.

My mum retired at 67. She was a school cleaner with osteoarthritis in her hands and quite tired by the end. The osteoarthritis has now paused giving her trouble! She now does yoga and Pilates weekly with me, my sister and our teenage daughters to keep active and fit. She also looks like she’s early 50s:) Lucky her!

I think retirement pre 70, is, in some ways, quite a European thing. All the Americans and Canadians I know, work as long as they can, albeit on reduced hours or less demanding jobs than their previous careers. The money is useful for healthcare and structure and social life.

I think we’ll go the same way.

Unless our rent magically decreases we'll both be working until at least 70!!

For many people the state pension retirement age is the catalyst to retire. For others it's if one has a certain number of years in an occupational pension. If you have a career as opposed to a job then retirement is led by two factors. Firstly, if you feel the time is right for you to step away for family reasons. Secondly, if you feel the time is right to step away from the next challenge.

I expect to be working until I'm medically unfit - whether it's 75 or 80.
It's far too expensive to be off work and most people spend more money when they are off work.

One of my colleagues has just retired at 69. There is a 67 and 70 year old in my admin team and a woman who works in another department who is 72. I can’t imagine her ever retiring . She does the job she has been in for 45 years incredibly professionally. She also dresses beautifully, lives in high heels!

I can see in the future 'old age' pensions will be replaced by 'too ill to work anymore' pensions, so a form of ill health retirement will become the norm. Excepting the very wealthy who always do what they want anyway.

FIL is still working at 76. Part time, 8 months of the year as a self employed electricity meter reader.

My parents still work in their late 70s in sedentary self-employed jobs. They don’t need the money, but they love working. I definitely won’t be working when I’m their age.

We are six professional siblings. Retirement ages so far have been:
63 (teacher),
65 (healthcare worker but part time for the previous decade),
70 (CEO),
61 (business analyst),
63 (HR manager).
63 (marketing manager)

All healthy, active, with dcs flown the nest and mortgages paid off.

Ditto. I’m 65 in February

Like everything I think it depends on your job, luck, health and privilege. Two people jump into my mind- a lady I worked with (supermarket) who barely shuffled her way to retirement- she had to stand on checkouts, ask for help with some of the huge stuff, would groan if she had to pick something up and similarly an electrician who used to come to fix our tumble drier who would make the most awful sound as he reached for anything. I wanted to tell the company could they send anyone else because it made me nearly cry and then I’d get in his way trying to pick stuff up/ move stuff before he had to. Both very poor, no choice in life really when it came down to it

Most people in my job will have to work to retirement and will be crippled, the ones who don’t are there because they want a bit of extra money and enjoy getting out and you can see the difference in their health and general wellbeing

I can’t imagine still being able to do my job for another twenty years. I’m fit and active but would likely have to look for something less physically and mentally demanding.

late 50s. ‘Retired ‘ a year ago due to ill health. Living on benefits. I say ‘retired’ but I am not drawing on my pension although I probably could. There is virtually no prospect of me ever being well enough to work anything approaching full time and only a very small chance that I could do ever do minimal part time hours again. ExDP retired recently - at well above retirement age. He was actually pushed out, otherwise he would still be working.

a friend of mine who is a teacher recently retired age 55. She says she just can’t take the stress any more. She is on good health and fit. She is doing private tutoring though.

I’m 57 and just retired last week, I feel very lucky to be able to do so.

i find one of the oddest things is the question I was asked the most was but whay will you do, i find it really sad that work is so consuming to some people that they actually have no purpose in their lives past it. And I had the big corporate career.

what will I do, enjoy my life, do as I please, with no stress. I think if you need to work financially it’s one thing, but if your life is so empty you don’t know what you’d do with your time, then it’s time to get that sorted.

i find one of the oddest things is the question I was asked the most was but whay will you do, i find it really sad that work is so consuming to some people that they actually have no purpose in their lives past it. And I had the big corporate career.

I had a guy retire this year - for the second time. He had come back to work, because he didn't know what to do with himself and had been drinking a lot. This time, his wife is also retiring, so they can do things together.

I had a year out of work after redundancy, and it was great - I did loads of things I don't usually have time for, I was fitter because I was doing more exercise, the garden was in better shape, I was reading more, doing more craft, going out and seeing things, andi did a course. It just wasn't financially sustainable, so I am back working again (I had been looking all the time, just not always that hard, and not getting interviews or if i got interviews, not gettingthe job.)

I dothink I will be retiring early unless forced by health. I have a friend who retired at 54 because she was in the financial position to be able to. She does lots of crafty things, lots of exercise and volunteers with the local museum. Another friend medically retired at 55, but he's set up his own business which is doing really well.

I'll be 64 in January; I am still teaching but it is exhausting me, and I have several chronic health conditions which are impacted by stress.

I plan to retire at 65, tho' continue to tutor for a few more years. Money will be tight for 24 months, but I need to put my health first.

Just because people are living longer, this does not mean they are living well longer. Many people in their 60s have life shortening health conditions but have to keep working.

I think there should be an interim solution: if you retire from your job in your 60s, but do 15 hours a week meaningful volunteering, you qualify for your state pension early. I would love to be an adult literacy volunteer - in the community or in prisons - but I need to be earning and I am not sure I would have the energy in my late 60s.