More women are working into their 70s

22nd June 2018

In yet another sign that retirement is becoming an increasingly fluid concept, figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of women working past the age of 70 has doubled in the last four years.

The abolition of the compulsory retirement age in 2011 has meant that many more workers, men and women, are choosing to work on past their normal retirement date. For some, it’s the desire to keep physically and mentally active into their later years, for others the freedom to work for longer provides a welcome boost to their retirement income. With increased life expectancy, many more people are set to live active lives well into their eighties.

However, as many women do not get the full state pension because they have gaps in their National Insurance contribution records, often brought about by time off to raise a family or look after elderly relatives, this can also be an economic necessity to supplement small pensions.

PLANNING AHEAD GIVES OPTIONS

What is clear for both men and women is that it’s important to plan and save for retirement as early as possible in your working life. That way, when the time nears, the options of retiring, working part-time, changing career or doing voluntary work are all open to you.

It’s worth asking yourself:

  • When do I want to retire? What is my state pension date?
  • How much will I need in income and savings to fund my lifestyle in retirement?
  • Am I currently saving enough? What will my state pension be?

Retirement planning is something we should all take very seriously. With encouragement on offer in the form of tax relief on pension contributions, and the government’s major push to get workers into pension schemes via auto-enrolment, there are more opportunities than ever before to make provision for retirement.

The information contained in this article is purely for information purposes only and does not constitute advice