General Chat

How do you feel about age 67 for retirement?

By the time it's my turn I expect it to have risen to 70.

60 can't come quick enough for me (I assume you are talking about female retirement age?) Why would anyone (male or female) want to work full time until they are 67? Jacqui

It doesn't affect me, I'm already past my retirement age. A few years ago I would have said no problem but I am doing the same job I was doing 7yrs ago & I am finding it so hard. Maybe someone in an office job or one using more brain than brawn would be ok but for manual workers the body rebels. Vivienne

didnt they say on the news today that retirement age will be 65 for both men and women soon?

i would prefer 45 Bev (45 next b/day, but don't tell the boys they think i am only 29!)

The retirement ages were initially set at 60 for women and 65 for men for the horrible reason that not many people were expected to live far beyond that and it limited the amount of state pension to be paid out. People are now living longer generally more healthy lives and the state will not be able to afford to pay so many people for so much longer. It's hard on those that do not have any other means of income.

Hi Jacqui, are you in England? The retirement age has already been raised to 65 for females, faised in over so many years. My age group was about the last to retire at 60, then it was something like 60 & some mths & so on. 67 is what they are debating now, ok for these MPs who sit on their posteriors all day. Vivienne

Viv's right about the retirement ages - these relate to the State Scheme. Most Company and personal pensions currently allow you to retire and take that pension from age 50 (changing to 55), but you still wouldn't get your State pension until your State pension age. Jan

The 67 yrs old retirement is for both men and women. Thats ok if you are an office worker/director but for manual workers it would be too much myself included. I have 2 yrs to go for the 60yrs old retirement and am going to retire. I know men who have died before retirement age and if they had children the widow gets widowed mothers allowanceuntil the children are 16. Men who have died after retirement age and if their widows are under 60 then the widows allowance is only paid for the 1st year. Next thing we will know is that the government will be saying there will be no pension for anyone. Think it is disgustingthat the government are thinking of highering the pension age. Sue

Linen Lady I will be retiring at 60 as I was born before 1954. The government brought in a few years ago that if you were born before april 1954 you could still retire at 60. Sue

Thanks Sue, obviously I was ten years out. I thought it was after 1945 that they were starting the faising in. Vivienne

I think the main issue the Govt is looking at is ensuring that the State Pension system continues to exist. It operates on a pay as you go basis - the money paid in NI is paid straight out to pensioners in the form of State Pension. As previously mentioned, people are now living longer and, therefore, there are more pensioners than there were previously - and this is increasing all the time. The concern is that there will not be enough money being paid in by the current workforce to pay all the pensions if mortality continues to improve. Jan

The so called pension crisis wouldn't be half as bad if they didn't keep letting into the country all these peple who have paid nothing towards the NHS or the Pension Fund but still get paid the same as the rest of us who have paid all our lives. Vivienne

I worked from when I was 18 until two years ago when I was 63 and a half. I was getting tired working a full day with the added pressures at work and employers expecting more and more from you for the same working conditions. This added to the travelling, particularly in adverse weather, made me decide to call it a day. It was the biggest mistake I ever made. Having worked full-time all my life, I knew virtually no-one where I lived - all my friends and social contacts were connected with work and contrary to wallowing in so much free time, I found my self feeling very lost and exceedingly lonely. I missed the company and cameraderie - and even the bad days. I think I am like 'Pavlov's dog' - conditioned to work and the adjustment to retirement is proving particularly difficult. I am hard pushed to fill my days other than boring domestic household jobs. I rarely see a soul all day and my conversation is mainly directed at my dog. So you see, unless you have had periods at home perhaps raising children and got to know people in the area you live, you may find yourself in the same position, so retirement isn't always what it's cracked up to be

my mum was born in 1952 and she has to work until she's 62 1/2 or something like that... Me on the other hand gave up years ago :-P

Hi Linen Lady - I'll retire next year at 60 as I was born in 1946 an my government says I can if I want! Unfortunately, my govenment thought fit to provide a pension forecase for me last week and I can look forward (after spending at least 42 years at work and paying Tax and NI for that whole period) to the princely sum of 30 pence per week pension - wow!! Now what shall I have, a Mars bar every two days, half a loaf, 2 tea bags??? I'm spoilt for choice! Jacqui

Jacqui, thats awful. Is that what your 42yrs will add to the standard pension or is what you are saying all you will get? Vivienne

Christine - I'm glad to hear I am not the only one feeling as I do. My little street onlt contains 12 houses and of that 12 I know 4 of the residents by sight - one of whom speaks to no-one. The other 3 will say 'Hello' if they see you and then walk on. The other residents I wouldn't even recognise. I too appreciate my brief conversations at the supermarket till -Asda in my case - and I often nip into town but trotting round the shops or popping for a coffee on your own has fast lost its appeal. I spend hours in the garden, decorating or like yourself concentrating on the family tree. However, I will not allow it to plunge me into depression - I'm sure I'll find a little niche sometime. If only my grandchildren didn't live 65 miles away.

I can understand the economics of it retiring at 67. But what about manual workers some find it hard enough getting by till 65 My husband has worked on a freezing dock stood with hands in ice cold water filleting fish for well over 40 years, every year he says will I get by for another winter. The old bones are starting to rebel. Not allowed heating I suppose it is better than it used to be. He does now have 4 walls years ago it was just a roof and a sheet to stop the winds. He isn't on his own lots of people in jobs like this. The thing is the people that decide this are people sat at a desk all day ( no insult meant) but would they like to be out in the cold when they are 67. No 65 is old enough. Germaine x