Work v Furlough

I agree about lowering the pension age. Older people are more vulnerable to infection so surely the whole workplace would be safer and therefore less pressure on the NHS?

Fflaurie, I feel for you.

Your situation is very similar to a friend's in that she is working as a nurse in a hospital because she needs to for at least another 4 years to receive her state pension. Apart from the additional risks she has had to her health she is physically exhausted after her shifts and takes the whole of the next day to recover. She said she would have jumped at the chance to be furloughed as would many of her equivalent aged colleagues.

Almost definitely your situation is because of the raised pension age which has affected woman of that age inordinately. A pension age raised by younger men who basically have no idea other than the finances...shame, shame, shame on them.

And yes as has been mentioned there will be an imbalance on jobs going forward because of all the Covid 19 affects.

I imagine there are few people who havent been affected by this virus. I hear your exhaustion. It must have been grim working through the pandemic and imagining everyone else is having a jolly time at home making banana bread. Of course in reality life is very different. Some are luckier than others. Most are struggling at some stage whether it be job insecurity or worry about families or isolation. The easing of restrictions has added to the confusion. I think some people may work from home permenantly and love it,others loathe the isolation is a real problem. I have a nasty feeling that the furlough scheme may just be staggering job losses. The recession and job losses forecast if happen are supposed to be worse than 1930s. Either this virus disappears/vaccine found or we may have to look at very different way of working and living. Until then thankyou and all the other key workers who kept us fed and safe in so many different ways for low pay and at risk to themselves.

PS. I wish people would stop exaggerating. The current maximum state pension age for anybody is currently 67

and the 9 (and a little bit) years I have left seem so far away I could cry growstuff .

My sister (56) is a key worker, in transport, including transporting medical equipment and materials when they were fitting out a local 'Nightingale' hospital. She has had to work from home and 4 weeks ago had an un-diagnosed heart attack. Because she became too unwell to work, she was on sock - leave. Now she has been diagnosed and treated she has been advised to stay off a further 4 weeks, but has told the support nurses that she must return after 2, as her pay will drop to 'statutory sick pay, and she would not be able to pay the mortgage. She has told them she would rather die in her own home than on the streets!

Life has really not been kind to so many people this year for so many different reasons. I understand you are exhausted, thoroughly exhausted, and it must be really hard to switch off and relax. I am full of admiration for key workers that have had to carry on regardless.

A lot of furloughed jobs will end up in redundancies and heartache and poverty for lots of people, I think a lot of businesses will be lost along the way, through no fault of their own.

You and all the other key workers out there have done an amazing job, and I really appreciate what you have been doing.

Fflaurie you’ve done a great job and deserve a rest. I hope you get one soon. I really feel for you and my key worker family members friends and neighbours who have risked their lives to keep the rest of us going.
Not always fun for the furloughed though. My GD wasn’t earning much to start with. She was grateful for the furlough money, and was saving it towards her wedding. She learnt last week that at the end of July she won’t have a job to go back to and the furlough money will stop. I guess she and others would have happily worked all through if it meant she’d have a job.

I have worked every day since lockdown started. I have been fortunate to work from home which has been a real boon as my husband is very poorly. It annoys me we they talk of getting everyone back in the office. My company has not stopped since this began and our returning to the office will not increase any shop’s turnover as there are none near our office. I will not be returning to the office as my husband is high risk and we couldn’t all return and socially distanced there isn’t enough space which I am sure other companies will also find.

My daughter, a key worker, had a bit of a wobble one day after taking her three children to the local park. We were still in full lockdown, and people were only supposed to be in groups with the people they lived with at that time. Both my daughter and her husband were working extra and very long hours, they were in contact with Covid19 patients, their children had to go to school three days a week, and her two year old was thrust unceremoniously into a nursery as their childcare, us, dried up as instructed by the government. On this particular day, her day off, she saw large groups of people, no social distancing, sitting around in the park, eating and drinking, and having a nice time. She came back to our house, and from the other side of the front garden wall, she told us what she had seen, and she was so overwhelmed and overwrought, that she cried. She said they were doing everything, working longer hours, putting themselves in danger, and these irresponsible people were having a government funded holiday. We tried to console her, without being able to touch her, and told her some of those people wouldn’t actually have a job to return to.

So fFlourie I do feel for you. Thank you for your continued hard work. I know that it’s been really difficult for our key workers, and we are really grateful to you all. Try to take a holiday, at home or away, and refresh your batteries.

It would necessitate a major change of legislation for the pension age to be reduced once more to sixty or sixty-five.

That reduction would also have to be applied to both men and women as I believe the changes to pension provision were, I believe, brought forward as part of the Equality Act 2010.

I stand to be corrected on pension provision being part of the Equality Act if others have better awareness and links.

growstuff I don't see any pension exaggeration on this thread. I notice Gillybob said she couldn't afford to retire till after the state pension age. That is a different matter.

Maybe this is what you mean?

fFlourie you are in need of a break, as you say. Please consider taking a short holiday to recharge.

Don't believe furlough is all roses though. The stress, for many, is immense... and they aren't all young.
My middle-aged daughter has had to furlough herself and has no idea where the next work will come from. I have a 62yr old friend who is furloughed after just changing jobs (still on probation so likely to be first to go). No spare cash as 80% of her income was already needed just to survive.

You may be exhausted now but you have survived so that's a blessing. Think about the things you are personally grateful for - I think there will be plenty, take a little break, and don't focus on those seeming to have one long holiday.

I really hope you will feel better soon.

Don’t hold your breath for a reduction in retirement age for women. Many women would not be entitled to benefits if they had a partner, or other income. I suspect the current situation costs the Government less than a change in the law. Retirement Pension has long been the most costly of all benefits/pensions.

You're one of many in the same situation. I'm almost 61, work part-time (various shifts) on a hospital ward (Thankfully no Covid-19 there), and I've been doing my usual hours all through the crisis. Like you, I won't get a state pension for a few years (I'll be 66), but I'm NOT envious of those who had been furloughed - if I'd been at home all the time, I would've gone mad! I've been glad to see colleagues and patients, to maintain some sense of normality in a world that's been upside down.

Same here sadly. Resigned from job just before furlough therefore couldn't start new job. Couldn't claim anything as awaiting a teeny tiny teaching pension to commence. Tough times - pensioner mum has been helping out! (I've been looking out for her too) However all things considered there have been many lessons learned and light bulb moments - notwithstanding the great sadness of the loss of lives.

Yes, fFlaurie, it does seem unfair, and I think many people treated furlough as paid holidays. My work contract was changed in November, from being on the pay-roll to being freelance.
I was unable to work from home, so was not paid, and fell between the crack of those who were financially supported.

My DD has worked throughout the pandemic as a front line NHS worker, sometimes having to wear full PPE, whereas my DS is only entitled to working credit which just covers his rent. My DD said she would rather be doing what she is, as she would be totally stressed not having enough money to live on. Not everybody who is staying home has the luxury of 80% of their wages. My DS at least gets something, some get nothing at all.

Grandad1943

It would necessitate a major change of legislation for the pension age to be reduced once more to sixty or sixty-five.

That reduction would also have to be applied to both men and women as I believe the changes to pension provision were, I believe, brought forward as part of the Equality Act 2010.

I stand to be corrected on pension provision being part of the Equality Act if others have better awareness and links.

I agree it would necessitate a change of legislation to
change the state pension age Grandad1943 but desperate times call for desperate measures.

With unemployment set to rise rapidly it may be the only way to get young people back into jobs and it would make absolute sense. There will always be people who would seek to work beyond pension age either because they love their job or they need/want the extra money which would be fine.

I believe IF it suited the govt to do so they would undertake major legislation. I am 60 and have 6 years to wait till I retire meantime I am feeling ragged working pt ,helping with elderly parents and childcare for working AC. I would love to be offered the choice of being able to claim state pension at 60.

Fflaurie you sound really burned out and in need of some annual leave (and some virtual hugs) as others have said. The pandemic has taken its toll on everyone, young and old, fit and not so fit. It's easy to assume that everyone else is having a great time while you are plodding on doing the same job you were doing before, albeit in a changed way. The other day, I stopped to chat to a neighbour who works for the school nursing service. She commented how lucky my eldest daughter is (a primary school teacher) as apparently "teachers have had it easy and haven't had to worry about childcare during lockdown". I was seething! My DD. has never had to work so hard, combining full time work from home as she is in a Covid vulnerable category with homeschooling her own three primary age children. She and my SIL have done an absolutely brilliant job and their children have thrived but it has been down to sheer hard graft.

I could have retired at 60 but chose to work until 64 because I enjoyed teaching and was able to work part time - 60%.

I don't think I would have had the stamina to carry on until I was 67. My knees wouldn't have coped with all the stairs for a start. Lowering the retirement age would not only free up jobs but there will be fewer people in their late sixties becoming ill due to exhaustion and physical ailments.

I totally understand where fflaurie is coming from.

I do feel envious of those who have been furloughed and have been able to enjoy their gardens, especially during the wonderful weather during the early part of lockdown, and those who have been posting on social media showing all the lovely redecorations of their homes, whilst I and my husband are still working our full hours. I have been working more hours than normal as we have had a huge increase in work.

But I also am very grateful that we both do have our full pay, and have been financially better off, as my husband isn't spending £250 a month on petrol, for a start. My commuting costs were minimal as I mostly cycled to work, but I have noticed how much I did fritter away whilst working, as my bank account is looking very much healthier these days.

My husband has been working from home since February and has been told there is no prospect of returning to the office until October at the earliest.

I was going into the office until the official lockdown was announced, and we've been told we won't be going back until September at the very earliest

I am quite happy working from home, epecially when I "leave for work" 30 seconds before I have to start, and am "home from work" 25 second after I finish (it's quicker after work as the commute is downhill)

I too wish I could retire at 60,or even 65. I think a lot depends on the type of work you do as well. A well paid office job such as lawyer or accountant maybe I wouldnt mind,that said waiting for a state pension probably wouldn't be an issue! I've worked mainly in social care in both the public and private sector. I cared full time for my father for a few years. I then had a years paid post doing Research and Campaigns and desk based. It was quite an eye opener as regards to being physically tired. When that ended I found a job in care that was ideal as a support worker where do minimum care but spend quality time with residents. It involved 12 hour shifts and rather arduous working pattern 48 hours one week then 8 days off. On the whole it was going ok,working with residents enjoyable if at times mentally stressful. Kept the wolves from the door and no responsibility for supervising/managing staff. That's all been thrown up in air due to virus. I'm high risk and it's not a good environment. Certainly not worth risking serious illness. Not sure what the future holds. I do know a lot of women my age cope less well than with the physical rigours of a 12 hour shift with non stop hoisting,rolling of people,making beds etc. Due to low staff numbers it's pretty full on. Certainly after being off due to virus I'm aware I've had enough!

growstuff

Callistemon

I said to DH yesterday that I really do think they should lower State Pension age back down again to 65 (at least) this releasing jobs for younger people.

There may be fewer jobs around in the future so why not pay older people their pensions instead of paying younger people who may not be able to get a job.

I'm sorry you feel so tired and down but I am not surprised. Well done for helping keep the country going at a difficult time and yes, you do deserve a break.
???

It won't be reduced back to 65. There are already 65 year olds who are having to wait, so there would need to be backpaid pensions. The argument about releasing jobs isn't valid because that time has already gone.

PS. I wish people would stop exaggerating. The current maximum state pension age for anybody is currently 67.

I still think it is a valid idea.

Yes, they could back pay pensions and, at the same time, increase the pensions of those who are the old rate, after making adjustments for the extra years they received the state pension.
These pensioners will be worse off in the long term.
It's a mish-mash and a mess.

I feel sorry for those who have been furloughed and subsequently may lose their jobs and for young people who may never get a job.
It seems ridiculous when many older people are weary and want to retire but cannot.

SueEH

I’m 59 and have been furloughed from one of my part time jobs and working from home (now returned) for my other job.
I love the job I returned to and hate the one I’m furloughed from. We haven’t heard when we will be back but maybe August.
I’m really dreading going back. My parents (in their 90s) live 100 miles from me and are needing more and more help so I’ve been down there every other weekend since we’ve been able to bubble.
I wondered at the beginning of all this why on earth couldn’t the women’s pension age be returned to 60 (or within a couple of years) because there are likely to be thousands of women made redundant with little realistic prospect of a new job and surely it would be cheaper to pay their pensions than gave to support them for years on benefits. But I haven’t found anyone to listen yet!

I didn't mean returning to the old discriminatory pension ages, I meant the same pension age for men and women, SueEH, perhaps 63 or 64 - but not compulsory if some wished to carry on working.

This would start to release jobs for younger people and give them some hope.

Yes, I realise that pensions are the largest cost of the benefits system, but we're all going to have to pay more tax at some point to fund these schemes anyway.