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.

My dad was an accountant and worked right up until his death at 82, he was a fit man and was still sprinting up the steps at the station on his daily commute.

DH died at 57.

I am mid 60s and a full time, solo foster carer to a young child with complex disabilities so my role is physical with lots of disturbed sleep, I intend to carry on for a good few years yet.

I don’t think it’s uncommon, DW has two colleague’s over 68 still working, FIL didn’t stop completely until early 70s, some work because they have to, some because they want to, if you are in good health and want to work , why not.

I don’t think it’s uncommon, DW has two colleague’s over 68 still working, FIL didn’t stop completely until early 70s, some work because they have to, some because they want to, if you are in good health and want to work , why not.

Everyone didn't work til they died in the past though. Some people weren't able to due to health, same as now, and they'd end up in the work house if there was no one to support them.

Apologies, no idea why that posted twice

Most of the current 66 year olds started work at 15/16 full time. Maybe day release if they were on a formal apprenticeship scheme with City and Guilds.

A small percentage of overwhelmingly MC students went to university, a few more to polys but most were out at work and contributing to their family income.

Nurses cannot. If you’re on the 2015 scheme then you can only take full pension benefits from SPA. So we’ll be expecting elderly nurses to work on wards as there aren’t enough desk based jobs to accommodate them all.

There aren’t enough desk based jobs to accommodate all these elderly nurses. They also ask for non ward based nurses to hold masters degrees and other specialist qualifications- which most nurses won’t have.

Lost of privilege on this thread. With the odd exception, most of the examples quoted of people working into their 70s and beyond are those in highly paid, very senior positions. No doubt with lots of autonomy over their working life and good health.

I know nothing about nursing but my understanding of why police and fire pensions were held at 60 was because there’s a measurable level of fitness (via the bleep test for police and a stair climbing one in BA gear for firefighters) which they have to achieve and if they don’t then they can be dismissed for capability. I don’t think nursing has that requirement although I agree it’s also a physical job.

I can take my work pensions from 65, I don't intend to work much longer than that. The fact that that is only 16 years away is quite scary.

On the front line NHS till 70 - you have to love it though!

I may have to work til 67 and tbh if i could afford to retire at 60 or sooner I would.
A lot of people will be declining physically and mentally by late 60s and will rightly want to retire whilst they can still have good health to enjoy their retirement.
Im 54 and know my body isnt the same as it was at 24!
My FIL worked until he was 70 ,he also died at 70 so had no retirement.
But he was a highly paid self employed business lawyer and had a lot of autonomy,wasnt tied to 9-5. He also.loved his work and was a workaholic.
For him it was a positive choice.
Its one thing still working in your late 60s and beyind in his position and quite another going on the "shop floor" every day, perhaps doing physical work, having little or no autonomy and having to work to keep a roof over your head.
I think retirement age at 67 or 68 is too high for most people.
Both DM and MIL retired at 63 and people thought they were marvellous at going 3 years beyond retirement age!
DM devopled dementia in her in her early 70s so she had less than 10 years before her health declined.
My DF died at 70 so would have had 2/3 years of retirement.
Of course this is probably the aim of the government ( no matter which party is in power)
The triple lock needs to go and i think winter fuel allowances should have been reviewed as planned and only go to the poorest pensioners.
Truth is with an aging population and low birth rate the country will struggle to afford the state pension.
I currently work for a LA and there are people turning 60 and retiring as they have worked for 40 years and ' have done their time and deserve it"
But actually they have been lucky to have had continous employment with local government and be in the excellent old style pension scheme.
Ive worked since 16 but will need to work 50+ years and not get anywhere as near as good private pension as they will get.
Feel like ive got the worse if both worlds! Started work at 16 but will need to go til 67!!! Already have full NI contribution years for my state pension.

I work for a charity for older people so my view is likely skewed but we see absolutely loads of people in their early sixties trying to claim benefits for ill health with years to go until pension age. Since they changed the rules meaning that both of a couple had to be state pension age before you can claim pension credit meaning more and more people in this age range are having to rely on the much less generous Universal credit we are seeing a lot more people really struggling. If you aren't bad enough to qualify for disability benefits like PIP you are a bit stuffed unless you have private pensions you can take early which not everyone has. On the other hand we do also see some stoic older people who still enjoy part time work well into their seventies and even eighties !
Personally I am being made redundant from my benefit advisor job in a couple of months. I don't want to work anymore. I have back and neck problems from years of Nursing/ and mild MH issues I think just from years of dealing with horrible situations job wise and multiple family bereavements. I have worked for 40+ years but still have ten years to go until state retirement age. It is also highly likely that in the next few years i will need to care more for my 90 year old dad.
My dh is 61. he has two chronic health problems ( severe asthma and arthiritis in several joints) meaning he will likely have to finish work in the next couple of years. No way will he make it to state pension age working.

I’m going to go when I’m 61. I’ll have £1250 per month to live on for six years until my state pension kicks in. Will be mortgage free though so I think I can manage. I’ve absolutely had enough of working.

I will have to, can't afford to retire early and may in fact need to work well beyond retirement age. My mum is still working at nearly 77.

How will you live on that @HarrietofFire? Surely your council tax, energy bills, insurance, food etc is more than that? Or do you have a partner supporting/subsidising you?

I will because I'm late to the NHS and will have to for the pension! 4 years to go! I am lucky in that I only work three days a week anyway. I'm fit and healthy and like to try and keep my brain active anyway. I'm lucky in that I have a good work/life balance and my job is mostly office based. I don't know if I would want to do it full time. I have savings but like the extra money it brings

l got ill health retirement from teaching at 58. A combination of the menopause and stress did for me.

Dh working now at 66. Finds it very tiring.

Yoir brain and body just don’t work as fast as 20 somethings, but you are expected to behave like them.

Dh worked in a nationalised industry in the 70’s. People were put on ‘light duties’ after 50. No recognition of this now.

If they want people to retire later, they need to somehow accommodate older people.

My mum did, she retired shortly before turning 69. She worked part time though, hadn't done full time since before I was born.

If you are healthy enough and need the money, you shall work, perhaps

I retired early due to caring responsibilities but I could still manage a part time job at 68, maybe even full time if remote working. What I couldn’t cope with is going into an office five days a week, I found that exhausting twenty years ago.

My husband retired at 67 but despite his good job his pension is so much lower than when he was working so he now works a couple of days a week in a totally unrelated job .
I will be working until I am 67 but I only work very part time .

My mum had to retire at 60 due to ill health - she'd been a care assistant which she physically couldn't do any more because she has COPD from smoking.

I plan to retire at 48. Our time on this earth is very short so I plan to spend as much of it as possible doing whatever I want to do, not being at the beck and call of waged labour. Can't bloody wait.

Full time at 63 and no plans yet to change this.