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 think it depends on what else is going on in your life.

I’m 58, part time GP, and if all I had to do was my GP work I’d probably happily carry on for another 5+ years. But I’m a single parent, my kids are 20 and 16 (so still need a fair bit of parental input), and my elderly mother is needing more and more help. Something has to give, because I’m so tired, rushing around all the time. So I plan to retire at 60.

My dad worked until he was 76 and in a physical warehouse job as well. But he was pretty fit and didn’t look or act like a man in his 70s! He had to stop then because he was finding it too hard - but he really enjoyed the social aspect and was very sorry to have to give it up.

It's entirely dependent on health really. I know someone in their mid 70's still working in a professional role, he just loves it. He's very wealthy so doesn't need to work. All my relatives retired young and became old before their time imo. My working colleague seems decades younger than them.
I love what I do and am self employed so will always work in some capacity as long as I can.

I intend to retire earlier but currently have no reason to think I wouldn't be able to work until 67/68 if I needed to. I'm 55 and obviously don't know what the future holds but I'm fit and healthy and both my parents worked, by choice, into their 80s.

Firefighters can take their full occupational pension scheme at 60 (as can police) even after the 2015 reforms. And it’s for this reason - that physically they won’t be up to what the job requires after that.

Firefighters can take their full occupational pension scheme at 60 (as can police) even after the 2015 reforms. And it’s for this reason - that physically they won’t be up to what the job requires after

But loads of police retire and then rejoin

The government made such a big thing recently about the number of over 50s who aren’t working and it made me angry.

For those who are well enough to work past retirement age, great.

But I feel for those who are forced into it by circumstances; divorce or widowhood for instance. I also think the government neglected to take into account the ageism that exists in the workplace, making it harder to get a job, or change jobs. Also, years of neglect in the NHS has caused many people long term health problems and even disability.

And what’s so wrong with wanting to enjoy retirement? If you started work at 16 like me, that’d be more than 50 years at work. We all deserve a break!

Plenty of my colleagues are late 60s early 70s. Some need the money some enjoy work. Some are in physical roles.

There are even special return schemes in the police for retired officers.

I'm 62, expecting to work till 66 when I qualify for the pension (ireland). I'm in excellent health though luckily.

And what’s so wrong with wanting to enjoy retirement? If you started work at 16 like me, that’d be more than 50 years at work. We all deserve a break!

If every single pensioner had worked full time from 16 to 66 & paid the associated tax then we wouldn’t be in such economic dire straits. That is not realistic though.

I retired in my late 50s. I was sidelined because of my disabilities and left, intending to find a part-time job. Then COVID came along and everything went tits-up. I volunteer one day a week.

Apparently a third of people retire before state pension age, but i guess the state pension age only went to 66 in 2020 and 67 is still being phased in for the next 3 years, so we probably will see this rise more.

I do know people working until thier 70s but when I look round my workplaces people arent generally much beyond 65.

A relative is still giving piano lessons part time at age 101. Probably partly accounts for her being 100% compos mentis too.

This. ⬆️

My father died at 56 so never retired. My mother had to carry on working after retirement age and died still working at 69.

My DH is still working part time at 77, his father worked full time well into his 70s.

DF worked to 65 but had to retire from his professional job. But he started a consultancy, and also accepted 3 significant board memberships (Chairing 2 of those), which meant he was still effectively working 40+ hours per week for almost another decade, just taking occasional long holidays (3-4 weeks away). He stepped back from 2 boards a couple of years ago, and the final one last year after a decade.

I’m 40 but will have to work until I drop dead! Hopefully there will still be jobs I can do and available when I’m that age, otherwise I’ll be very hungry.

I find this odd because nurses working in areas like a&e or medical admissions do seriously physical.work and long hours. It is so unrealistic to expect them to be pushing trolleys at nearly 70. Running for a cardiac arrest, managing a fit in a toilet cubicle or a major haemorrhage or trauma in resus... Psychiatric nurses used to get earlier retirement but that's been removed.

What about paramedics?

I'm 60, have a heart condition and work in a physical job....I doubt I'll live to see retirement...1 less elderly person taxpayers have to fork out for in State pension though so I guess to some that'll be seen as a "win".

Workplace pension to bridge the gap

I think the biggest question that nobody is answering is where the jobs are going to come from for people to work up to the age of 67 or 68. My partner was recently made redundant in their late 50s and struggled to find new employment. Whilst not overtly stated, age was clearly a factor in not being offered new roles. The government needs to crack down far more on ageism in employment because it’s against the law and there seems to be some peculiar assumption from companies that new staff are going to stay forever when that clearly isn’t the case. This makes the age of the person you’re employing to a large extent irrelevant in the job an employee will do and the return that they’ll get on their investment.

Workplace pension to bridge the gap

They are pretty crap for many these days though

I agree with this. I know many people who have taken early retirement due to ill health, as it’s not possible to continue in labouring jobs such as plastering, plumbing and brick laying. The government are ridiculous to think such trades people could keep working such jobs for longer.

My parents retired at the official retirement age and then within months went back to work on a consultancy basis because they both enjoyed their jobs and also due to shortages in their specialist areas they felt really needed

My grandparents pretty much all did the same and retired but then went back and worked in ad hoc way for many years after retirement (they were doctors lawyers etc)

I can't see myself making it to retirement age if it keeps getting further away. I have a chronic condition and know that it will get harder to manage the older I get. I can see lots of people spending the final 10 years before retirement needing to claim disability benefits instead