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

I always thought that if women wanted equality that should include having the same retirement age as men. Why should women have expected to retire at 60 when men had to wait another five years?

In particular I resent strongly the way women have been treated regarding pensions. We were given various promises and assurances . I worked full time for 15 years, then lived abroad and paid the highest rate nat insurance to keep my pension levels correct, so for 2 years was away and did not received anything healthwise or in any other was. Back to england and worked full time until adopted my son. then at home and my situation changed and I was separated and with my son and he was too young to leave and had no support living near me. Remarried and my husband always said that he left college on the friday and started work the following monday and never had any break. Yet I ended up not getting a full pension, then it was moving the gate posts yet again when women were expected to work longer and longer before receiving their pension. an added insult was that I paid £11 in national stamp which was the equivalent at that time of a weeks wages. Eventually I got a letter informing me that my pension would go up by 6d a week which is to those of you too young to remember £sd is 2-1/2 new pence.! My friend had done all her calculations and made her plans as any sensible person would do. Of course she expected to receive her pension at 60 and when that was cancelled for a couple of years of course she was in difficulties. So to return to the main question, I think your health is the most important thing to consider. If working full time means you are totally exhausted and no time to enjoy home or friends and hobbies it is not worth it. To put up with a bad patch for a few weeks is ok but not if it routinely overstresses you and you get little out of life. as I know only too well , there is no guarantee that you will live a long life to enjoy your extra pension, so I really think that sitting down and looking at what is the minimum you could live on without being cold or hungry, and how you would feel working long hours to get more money need to be looked at and make a decision based on your results. I have to say that they majority of people who have a life with hobbies and family etc tend to say , they dont know how they managed to work full time as they are so busy, now they are retired! Also given the current situation, many grandparents are absolutely essential in helping on a regular basis with child care , not just the odd day here and there. I have a friend whose son is working in the south for about 2 years, which in the long term will be worthwhile and improve his job prospects, but the cost of living there is such that both parents work and she goes down every other week to cover childcare needs, as if they had to pay for those they could not afford to stay there. for a limited set time it is possible but could not be sustained ad infinitum. Remember when you start any new job it can be tiring, but exciting to have something new to tackle, but do you feel you can keep going at that pace for a long time? Good luck with whatever you decide

I carried on until 64. At that age, I found I finally had time for work, with the children out of the house. At work itself, I was treated with respect (mainly), due to my age and experience.

Yes Working full 5 days currently and will be til in 66 and can claim my state pension ! (Another 2 years, 11 months !) Outraged !

I retired at 69...wish I hadn't...

Many years ago my 87 year old aunt was working as a pharmacist, a taxi being provided to get her to work and back.
I then read that Margaret Thatcher had made a special trip to Cornwall to congratulate the person who was believed to be the oldest working woman in the country (88) There was even a photo of Mrs T giving her a congratulatory kiss

'Watch it, aunt, she'll get you next', I said. ' No , she won't' and her resignation went in the following week

Too many people have made sacrifices for their employer, thinking they are essential and their employer needs them, only to find the moment things change they are out on the road with their P45s

This is so true!

The old unspoken social contract - work hard and be loyal and your employer will look after you - died long ago. It is now upto individuals to get whet they can out of the system which will work you until you drop if you allow it. And they will tax you to the hilt for the privilage! Raising NI and making pensioners pay this is the last straw. They have already made their contribution.

Rather than looking for "a job" there are plenty of opportunities for people to look for "work" on a self employed basis. And far more opportunities to manipulate the system and claw back some of what you put in. Remaining on PAYE you will get reamed every which way.

I worked full-time, with lots of UK wide travel, until last year, when I was 65. Then moved to a new employer, 4 days a week, so I can do a day’s childcare. And I volunteer one day each weekend.

I will be leaving my current job in three months (can’t wait, it was a mistake to take it) and had thought I would retire then, but now I’m not sure I want to. I think I confused ‘had enough of this job’ with ‘had enough of working’.

I work full-time, I'm one of the admin in a very busy District Nursing office, but intend retiring later in the year, when I can officially draw my State Pension. My husband never saw retirement, he died aged 55, I intend enjoying mine for both of us, even though money may be tight. I am also a Leader in Girlguiding, working with Guides aged 10-14 and 2 Rainbow units with girls aged 5-7, I'm a Rainbow Advisor, a Mentor for new leaders, a DBS verifier and have recently been away for the weekend on a County Planning weekend for Division Commissioners and Advisors. I love Girlguiding and the friends I have met have helped me through some of my darkest days

As a carer my shifts are 7am to 10pm (home care) with a couple of hours lunch. No choice but to work this job. I have no qualifications and as I'm 65 no one will take me on. I will get my pension at 66 but cannot afford to pay all the bills on that, so will work as long as I can.

I’m 63 and thinking about retiring but not sure what I want to do. SP not until I’m 67. Small company pension too.
I want to do something when I retire but have no clue what yet. Got a few years to have a think !

Yes I worked full time until 69 for the NHS. Loved it and missed it SO much when I had to finish due to an operation.

I do hope all those who say they will only have the state pension when they retire, have checked on their entitlement to other benefits when they retire. If your state pension is less than £177 for a single person, £270 for a couple, you can apply for Pension Credit to make it up to that amount and you can also qualify for Housing Benefit if you are renting and also Council Tax benefit.

Age UK have a very good site and here is the link to their online benefits calculator www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/benefits-calculator/ Fill it in and find out what you might be entitled to.

heatherjw well done you for supporting your wider family and I hope everyone continues to be healthy ?

I'm 65 in May, so still another year until I get my state pension.
I've been self-employed as a registered childminder for 34 years. I currently have 8 children on my books aged 3 to 11.
In September this year they'll all be at school or nursery full-time so my plan then is to scale back and just do the before and after school sessions, plus school holidays. That decision has been influenced more by the Ofsted bureaucracy that the early years children bring with them though.
At the moment I have two days a week where I am child-free from 9:30 to 2:30 which is nice.
I currently work from 7am to 6:30pm, so a few hours to myself child-free each day will be good!

I would have thought many people in their 60s work full time given the State pension doesn’t start paying til 65 or later.
Nice to cut hours down a bit if that’s possible.

I’m 71 in a few weeks time and because of circumstances am still having to work, do I want to ? of course not, do I have a choice ? only if I want to live off a state pension.

I worked four days a week until I reached 65 + and found it really tiring, I had no choice but to go out to work. I was doing admin, sitting in front of a computer all day, and when I got home used to go to bed really early as I felt worn out. I was then placed on Furlough for six months which took me up to retirement just before my 66th birthday.

Still working full time at 68 in a job I love - legal secretary - but planning to go down to 4 days a week soon to “phase my retirement”. Work keeps me sane & am dreading retirement so will probably do some volunteering.

I work 4 full days, I'm in my 60s. I'm looking forward to retiring now. Had 3 careers & many jobs but I've been in my last career 20 years & need a change, but wrong age to re-train (with any realistic hope of getting a job at the end of it). Retire in a couple years & do something a bit different as a volunteer is the plan.

I feel bad that the UK raised the retirement rate. How unfair, and truthfully, not everyone has the stamina and health to keep going until 67.

We are lucky here that retirement age is 65, but you have the option to take a reduced federal pension as early as 60.

I am still working full time (and then some!) and plan to retire when I turn 62. I would like to scale back hours next year after I turn 61. I am fortunate in many ways, having had a good pension at a previous job, and my DH is now retired (made redundant early) so my role at home is relaxed as everything is done. I enjoy my job in transportation, but not feeling as engaged as I used to.

Thank you all so much for your replies, really interesting read.
There’s plenty of us still working! ??

I'm 64. 65 in few months. I will have to continue working can't afford anything else. After being a lone parent then looking after my invalid mother I couldn't survive on state pension

I worked full time until my early 60s. I reduced to 4 days a week in order to be able to provide childcare for one of my grandchildren as my daughter in law was having cancer treatment. Two years ago I retired, an easy decision as my daughter in law needed a stem cell transplant with only a 40% chance of survival. At the same time her mum suffered a brain aneurysm. Her mum came to live with us and I shared care of my granddaughter with my son. Two years on, and despite a few set backs and Covid, everyone is in good health so I am finally able to enjoy some time to myself in retirement. Early retirement meant my occupational pension is lower than it would have been had I worked full time until age 66. But we have enough to manage on even though my husband has only a basic state pension. Covid has taught us to appreciate the little things in life and be thankful for our good health.

Yes, I'm 62 and work 46 hors a week over six days. Likely to have to continue working until I drop. Only have myself to rely on. Don't own my own home and have no private pension worth anything (about £20000?) So, I owe, I owe, so of to work I go! ? Have to laugh, or I'd cry.

I already had all my pensions at 61 but carried on working until I was nearly 63 because I loved working for my wonderful boss and her wonderful deputy who just happened to be her husband. When they retired, so did I.