To retire

IF you want to; and can afford it, do!
On my retirement course we were told "You are going on the longest holiday of your life"
Since then we have been able to do modest things that were impossible when we were working.
We have time for each other, and our own individual interests.
To be recommended.
The worst alternative is not to be recommended, although eventually it comes to all of us.
So make the most of things while you can!

I am 72 and have done some voluntary counselling for the past 12 years or so, along with normal freelance private counselling. The lockdown has given me time to consider my future and I am thinking of giving up the voluntary work. It is worth about £90.00 per week so I feel that I have put something back for quite a long time. There is still a shred of guilt there for considering giving up and keeping the small amount of private paid work. However the paid work provides enough money for me to pay for a modest holiday for myself and my husband where we hire a lovely cottage by the sea for 10 days and another smaller one for three nights, This enables us to get our children and grandchildren together for a long weekend once a year and then the two of us stay on for the rest of the 10 days.
I have loved having this lockdown time quietly at home with my husband and my previously very busy life seems less inviting than it did. Am I being really selfish? My husband still works in our small building business regularly and at his own pace but in two years we would both like to be retired to spend more time together.

If you can afford to retire then go for it. The world has changed and if you don't want to do what is now required then do what you want to do. Life is too short. Happy retirement.

I think you know when it's time to retire, I know I certainly did, and OH too. If. you feel you're at that point, retire. If you're not sure then you haven't reached it yet. You can check up about the conditions of furlough money, but there must be others in your position, including many who reassessed their life during lockdown. You've not claimed the money fraudulently so why feel guilty?

I think you have probably got your working years in! Now you certainly have the choice of which way to go and what to do. Definitely not being unreasonable, a situation like this has never arisen before and no one is quite sure what to do for the best. But it is uncertain times and no one can give us any guarantees. So go with your heart, then your head will sort out the finer details. Best of luck!

Now I've read back a bit I'm glad you've decided to retire. It's odd that you feel guilty about the money, though. You were entitled to it. There was no condition that you return to work involved.

Esspee, it's not 'unethical' at all. It's entirely up to you to decide whether you'd be happy to return to work. Ask yourself whether it's worth the risk.

Wishing you a long and happy retirement Espee.

I promise you’ll soon forget what “work” was. ? ? ?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Personally I think we’ve should let the youngsters get the jobs. Many of us have enjoyed full employment and the benefits of free education, young people will be struggling to find work and pay off their colossal university debts. We've had our chance, now let someone who is desperate take your place.

Thank you cupcake1 for the flowers and everyone else who generously took the trouble to reply. As you will see if you followed the thread I have already decided to finish work but will donate the furlough money to my local hospice to ease my conscience.

Have a happy retirement! Please don’t return the money. If you don’t need it then perhaps give it to a charity that supports food banks or helps the homeless. That way it redirects the money to those who really need it. During lockdown my husband received food boxes from the government scheme. It took 5 weeks for them to stop sending one and in that time we just donated the weekly box to the local food bank.

Have a long healthy and happy retirement Esspee

Surely at 71, don’t you think it’s about time to retire.
And as it’s only pin money you say?

Hopefully you have a good pension.

If you can afford to retire, do so and enjoy retirement. It is wonderful.

Don't worry about the money. You can be sure the firms will ask for it back if they feel paying it out was unjustified, which I don't think it was.

Yes, go for retirement. As someone upthread pointed out there will be many out of work. Perhaps you retiring will create an opportunity for someone else.

Have a long and very happy retirement

You need to do what you feel is right for you. What others think or don't think is irrelevant.

Am not sure how you would repay it anyway, the revenue wouldn't know what to do with it, they are only geered up to accept payments in certain ways, and as I work for an accountant, I couldn't advise on how to pay it back to them, as it is so unique. So I would keep it or as other have said give it to charity

I think a lot of people accepted furlough who could have managed without it. I wasn’t offered it and decided not to pursue the matter as there are others worse off than me.

I just want to know how all this money is going to be recovered in the future - I suspect taxes will go sky high.

I agree with the above comments: you accepted the money in good faith, and now you are retiring and freeing up a job for someone of working age.
You don't mention any particular circumstances, but I would take your time to settle into your new circumstances and look round a bit. Your skills may well be wanted in a volunteer, or possibly casual role. However, retirement lets us look afresh at how we live. I hope it goes well.

Nope .. retire..after all you are71 and there are more things to life than work!! Good luck

I expect there are quite a few people who, having spent time away from work, think that now is a good time to retire. Good luck to you. Enjoy it.

I`m with Lucca.

Esspee knowing government bureaucracy, you might find it very difficult to return anyway. You've served your time now go and enjoy your retirement..