Anyone still working full-tine in their 60’s?

Yes, worked full time until I was 62. I now work 3 full days. I am 64. I will retire when I am 66.

In my late 50s, I'm trying to move forwards into a new aspect of my career. I miss being in the classroom, but currently am working from home due to covid.

I'm trying to take it as a step in the right direction, towards semi-retirement, which will still require full-time work, but in a curriculum/assessment construction/administration direction rather than at the chalk face. Certainly, it will be more manageable in my 60's than teaching. Hopefully just as lucrative. Certainly, there seems to be active recruitment of older women for these positions, so I hope I'm not being over ambitious.

I worked full time until I was 70. Had enough by then and able to receive pension.

I worked full time until I was 65 (5 years ago) I would have been quite happy to keep working as I was respected by my staff and colleagues and there was a good social life went along with the job. I had an occupational pension from another job which I left in the 80's and my State Pension had started before I actually retired from my then current job. I took the decision as my husband was retiring at 65 (he is only a few weeks older than me) and it just felt the right time to go. My work colleagues, friends and family were all convinced I would get a part time job or volunteer neither of which options made sense, I already had a job reasonably well paid that I loved why would I start afresh somewhere else? It was totally the right decision. If I had needed to carry on it wouldn't have bothered me but I didn't. So I took my pension from that job and love finally being a sort of housewife, who can go for coffees/meals with pals and go on holiday (COVID permitting) when it suits. Incidentally I would have hated doing wfh, thank goodness I missed that.

I have been a kinship foster carer for my 5 grandchildren for the past 6 years, I continued to work part time until I was 60 but retired 2 years ago as working and caring for the children became to much, I do sometimes miss my work life but life changing events sent me in a new direction.

I’m 62 and went from 5 to 4 days a week in 2020. But the workload means I often have to work extra days. Arthritis now an issue. I still enjoy my job and hope to be able to work from home some if the time having successfully done it for the last 2 years. I am worried I would find retirement boring!

From 1995-2014 I worked p/t 2.5 days a week. While I raised family as single parent.
I then cared FT for my father for 2 years.
After his death I paid off my mortgage and had reasonable savings so I continued to work p/t in jobs I enjoyed but with none of the previous responsibilities. Nice couple of years in which I travelled-I have no regrets about that whatsoever.
Then covid hit and had to live off savings for a while. Not much left but felt it was rainy day you save for.
I got a temporary job with civil service. Initially due to end Jan 22 now June 22. Its public facing and relatively well paid compared to most on the local area.
It's also FT. I was 60 last November.
Physically it's not demanding but it is very stressful.
One issue is I'm reliant on public transport. My place of work is only a mile away,I have to be there at 8.30. Due to the buses being unreliable I have to get the 7am bus and get there an hour early. The same would be true of return, finish at 5pm home by 6.30. Its exhausting. To alleviate this I get taxis -i can afford it due to my salary although it takes a large chunk. I gain back two hours a day but I am totally drained mentally and physically and I know my colleagues are the same.
I have no work life balance. I know i have been lucky for many years but this is payback big time.
Energy levels at 60 are nowhere near my early years. Along with many of my friends I have no problem falling asleep but often wake at several times during the night, not good when have to be up at 6am(5am if bus). Two days are just not enough to physically recover or enjoy any of my former hobbies to any degree.
At least I enjoy my job and I'm good at it. However there is no guarantee it will be extended,there is a process we will go through to have a chance at a permenant contract and my manager wants to keep me but they have no input into the process.!
I genuinely dont know what's worse-if they extend the contract or dont! I cant afford not to work,and the current situation in the UK is financially terrifying. On the other hand I'm exhausted and the thought of stepping away despite the financial issues borders on blissful.
Like many women my age I'm almost bitterly aware that previously I would have retired at 60. I know a state pension isnt a windfall but I could have found a little job to top it up.
Also like many my age-Male and female we are looking for jobs that we are physically able to keep up with. They seem to be like hens teeth!
I increasingly resent/ fear the next 6 or so years. I am educated to post graduate level ,loads of skills etc but not sure how these next few years will pan out.

I’m retiring early, so not me. However my sister is still working full time at 64 & she’s exhausted and sadly very miserable. Finances mean she has no choice.

I retired just before my 60th birthday. I worked in a large multi GPs practice for over 12 years, as admin/receptionist. Mostly I was happy there, but the stresses of the work ( some patients were incredibly rude and even threatening, when they couldn't get their own way), and the advent of a new practice manager tipped me over the edge towards leaving.

I planned my escape over 3 years. I gradually reduced my hours bit by bit, until I was on 2.5 days a week. Knowing I wouldn't be able to claim my SP until 66, I squirreled away every penny I could into my own 'retirement' fund. I worked out how much I needed to save before I left, so that when I did, I could draw on my fund, without asking MrLP to pay for everything. ( He would have done so willingly, but I felt it was important to contribute to the expenses as before.)

My plan has worked well. I will be able to claim my SP this year ( September), and I still have a fair amount left in my retirement account. I appreciate that MrLP is still working, possibly for another 5 years, so we have a decent income.

I couldn't have stayed there for another 6 years, but it was stressful mentally, rather than physically. Up until the year I left, our large staff ( both medical and admin) had been very stable. Within a year of my leaving, it all changed, and now there are very few of my former colleagues left there.

Take care xx

I think Gov't are trying to keep on raising it and raising it till a lot of folk die earlier and then they save a LOT in pensions even though they've (Gov't) have benefitted from these poor exhausted workers paying in Tax & NI all their lives! Its shameful how the elder folk are treated by this.My late Mam died at 69- its sobering to think so many might still be working then and just drop without enjoying any benefits of their years of toil...Just so Gov't can use their earnings to pay back national debts & suchlike.

You're not the only one. I am 66 and still working. The delay to our pensions has caused many women to work longer. I am retiring in May from my stressful job. Looking forward to it now.

I'm working full time - 60 last year.

My health isn't great at all and although my employer is very supportive, I do struggle but financially have little option to carry on.

I work in a field tied to criminal justice so it can be emotionally very difficult and I also manage quite a large team - again this can be very draining.

I am self employed as a Childminder and work on average a 45 hour week, 5 days a week from 7.30 to 5.30/6.00, my dh works with me for the same hours and we won't be retiring for another 5/6 years despite being 63 & 64 this year respectively.

I've been so lucky yo be able to take early retirement at 60 years from a busy Nursing Sister role snd must admit I was ready. I'm enjoying retirement now and look forward to the future. My husband continues to work full time as a Management Accountants, but has refused to allow me to go back to work as he says he now has his wife back. I admit just like many of my nursing friends my work came above my family and myself due to its nature. I also had my first Christmas off in over 40 years. Xx

I'm 65 and working full time. Expect to go on for another 14 months and then drop down to part time and / or interim type stuff.

Working full time 4,5 days a week but soooo much easier working from home. I haven' t actually been into the office full time since Oct 2019 as I was on sick leave when pandemic hit us. Will never go back to office 5days a week but will probably work until 62 ish.

Most people have to work well into their 60s because the state pension cannot be claimed until age 66 and rising. I think the answer to your question is that it is individual, but it is a fact that it gets more difficult as you grow older and if you also take the psychological effect of the date of your retirement getting closer you might find yourself distancing yourself from your job and slowly disengaging, so then it might feel very hard work to do the job. Four days a week may feel full time to you if that has been your working pattern for a while, but that one day a week can make a huge difference to energy levels and may mean you can continue to work throughout your 60s more easily than if you worked full time hours.

I've condensed my hours to 4 days - makes life a bit easier but would have preferred to be able to go at 60! I still enjoy my job and might even stay on for a year or two....will see how I go.

I’m 63 and work 4 full days a week and I have several friends and colleagues who are the same age or older and work 5 days a week . It’s not unusual and yes in some cases it’s a necessity in others it’s a choice. Yes I’m tired but my job has brought me interesting friends and colleagues as well as much needed cash

I did work free-lance as a complimentary therapist, but the work wasn't coming in as much as I wanted. I took a job as a support worker (which I loved). They are desperate, and you can just about tell them what hours you would like to work? I stayed there until I was 67.

I worked full time until I was 64 and 3 months when I became eligible for State Pension. The last 2-3 years were a real struggle and I couldn’t wait to retire. Many of my friends are in their early to mid 60s and are feeling the same way but have to work until 66/67

Oh yes - 63 and still at it. WFH doing FT hours over 4 days so get a day off in the week which helps. So very tired of it now, certainly don't have the stamina that I used to have. I really do feel bitter that the state pension age has risen to 66 - if I thought I only had another 2 yrs to do I would feel so much better. Will have to go back into the office eventually which I am honestly not looking forward to. I can do the work, no problem, but hate all politics and the changing things 'just cos they can' mentality.

Sorry, bit of a moan there, but I know that my fellow grans will understand

I’m 63, currently working full time, meant to be 35 hours but quite often 40 or more. I’m finding it very tiring and planning to go down to 2/3 days shortly

i remember in 2012 a man i knew reached 60 and could draw a civil service pension.I said why not retire, he and has wife had plenty of money, he said he wanted to work till 65 so he could have a bigger pension-he died 6 months short of his 65th birthday....... If you can physically and mentally work into your old age then good for you,if you have paid taxes all your life ,you have to get some of it back at sometime in your life, otherwise it's a system that only takes and doesn't give back! Others say what about the fact you are keeping the jobs from the young etc.There seems to be a lot of hype these days about keeping working, I would say keeping active is good for you but working?

Dottygran59

Oh yes - 63 and still at it. WFH doing FT hours over 4 days so get a day off in the week which helps. So very tired of it now, certainly don't have the stamina that I used to have. I really do feel bitter that the state pension age has risen to 66 - if I thought I only had another 2 yrs to do I would feel so much better. Will have to go back into the office eventually which I am honestly not looking forward to. I can do the work, no problem, but hate all politics and the changing things 'just cos they can' mentality.

Sorry, bit of a moan there, but I know that my fellow grans will understand

Oh, how I understand! I am in my 60s and still working. I find constant change in the workplace extremely tiring and I have no patience for it.
I will need to work until just short of 67 and those two added years feel like a huge burden. And like you, I'm bitter about knowing us women used to get our state pension at 60 and I feel robbed of 7 years of pension.
The older I get, the more health issues arise and I do think that these, as well as the medications I have to take (I'm sure it's the same for many of us) take their toll too.