i want to retire!

It is worrying Lynb and even if you could claim, the chances are it wouldn't be enough to live on

Lynb1954 you should be able to claim housing benefit and council tax and job seekers allowance, my neighbour is 59 and claims all of those things and has done for nearly a year, since she lost her job.

Please do not think that no one would be interested in employing you if, you wanted a different job, Experience is being valued more and more now a days.

I feel for you because I can feel the sadness in your thread, but there is hope, just for the sake of it and you have nothing to loose, apply for a couple of jobs and see what happens

It's not right, is it? Hope that you can find something less tiring Lynb.
If you own your own house, then you can't claim housing benefit can you? The doctor would have to say that you qualify for job benefits because of your medical condition [arthritis] perhaps?The state pension should kick in soon for you though[2/3 years?]If it all gets too much go and talk frankly to your GP.

Lynb. It's so unfair isn't it. First you thought you could retire at 60 then the rules are changed so you thought you'd be 63+ Now they moved it again to 65 or 66. I was born in 53 so only got the extra 3 years. A year later and you got an extra 5 or 6. Not that my comments make it any easier. I just wanted to commiserate and say you shitty short end of the stick. I think TAB is right start looking for a change now. It's somtimes easier to get another jobif your employed. I really don't know anything about the benefit system apart from what I hear from others but could you take shorter hours and claim some top up benefits. My husband meets lots of people who tell him it's not worth working more than 16 hours as it affects their benefits and they wouldn't be any better off. I get a little anxious about my ability to keep up the pace of work now. I hate that I'm the oldest person in team so I know how you feel.

If u lose your job then u can get help but if u leave your job then its a different matter. I'm going to have to carry on for a while n now the warmer weather is here it doesn't take as long to get my joints going,but come autumn/winter again its not going to be good again! It just pains me that there are younger people who need n want jobs but the government insist that us 'oldies' carry on when they would be happy to stand aside and let the younger people workshop I feel I've done my bit n now I want 'me time' to spend time with my grandkids,read my books n just be me.

The change in the pension rules is truly dreadful for those such as yourself caught in this trap.

Can I make a couple of suggestions?

Are you able to talk to the HR department at your work; or the boss if it is a small firm? Tell them that the work is taking a toll on your health and discuss whether they are able to accommodate your needs somehow.

If this gets you nowhere I think you should talk with your GP - tell him that you cannot manage the work because of your pain. He may be able to do something about that; or to recommend that you stop the job you are doing - in which case you would be in a better position to apply for benefits.

Would you be able to live on benefits to which you are entitled? Are you living alone? Perhaps you should talk to CAB and find out what you might be entitled to, then you will have a clear picture of what the future could hold.

Never really thought I wanted to retire . I thought I would be bored but now I see friends who have taken early retirement I am quite envious of the free time they have. Only problem is I now have to work six years longer than I thought. Just lucky my job is not physical.

Yes, I have to work till I'm 66 too. Am 60 in June and feel worn out at work though I do enjoy doing something useful.
DH retired 3 years ago so I'm just jealous probably!

I was terrified of them moving the goalposts before I was able to retire [which was last October]. It was only then that I realised how tired I was, so I feel terribly sorry for people that have to continue working.

You do not have to work until state pension age, you just will not get a state pension until that age. If you have a personal pension, it can be taken any age from 55. You will not get as much as if you wait until 65 or 66. You have to weigh up the pros and cons.

I had to leave a job because it was making me ill, and when this was explained to DWP they did actually award me JSA.

However, TAB12's statement Experience is being valued more and more now a days is in many cases utter crap it, depends a lot on where you live, what you would like to do and what transferable skills you might have.

But hey, what do I know?

So very sorry that you are stuck in this trap Lynb. My feeling is your doctor could be your best support here but I think you should follow Mishap's sound advice.

I stopped work at 50 to help my then pregnant daughter who was very poorly. Also arthritis meant I could not do my job as well as I would like. I did not claim benefits. Fortunately my OH was able to support the two of us but it did necessitate downsizing and major belt tightening. Once again I was lucky because it was possible for me to draw my pension at 60; OH is five years older than me.

These days it is so hard and the Government has made it hugely difficult for everyone. I should like to see the 'Decision Makers' have to cope with the same situations that 'normal people' survive.

I really sympathise with your position. I'm one of the fortunate ones, born 1952 and will get pension in September. I packed up worked for other reasons at the end of Feb. What a relief, I was feeling so tired

The suggestions about talking to your HR and your doctor about trying to cut down seem a really good plan and it will be much easier for you to get another job if you do so when working. Maybe the CAB could help you work out what benefit you might receive as a starting point.

Just a word of warning. If you leave work of your own accord then you can loose up to 6 months job seekers allowance.

I also think the raising of the retirement age has effected 'ordinary' people far more than the government understands. Even if you are relatively fit it can be a real struggle to keep going in a demanding or demotivating job. It makes me so angry that the folk with lower incomes always seem to be the ones that suffer! .

Good luck in whatever you can do to reduce the stress.

To be quite honest with u Mishap if I went to anyone in the company I work for n tried to discuss any problem I would be told 'if u don't like it leave'! I no this because I seen n heard it happen! The company don't care that ur a person all they care about is the work they can get out of you,I've been there 15 years n seen a lot of changes none of them good but no doubt that's the way of business now,no loyalty n no consideration to the workforce! I don't no if I could manage on benefits cos I've never claimed, feel caught between a rock and a hard place. I have tried for other jobs n 'experience' really doesn't count..age does! I don't mean to sound so desolate it just all gets to me sometimes and thank you all for listening to my moans n groans! [Flowers]

Do you belong to a union? - this might be the moment to join. They could support you in suitable approaches to management.

I do think it would be helpful to contact the CAB about your position - they could advise you on the best way forward; and you would get a picture of your benefits situation.

Lots of good luck with this. It is so frustrating for people like you who have planned life around retirement at 60 and now the goalposts have moved. I have been very lucky indeed in that I just slipped in under the wire and was able to draw my pension at 60 - I do appreciate how lucky I have been, and realise that I could not have sustained a full time job much longer.You have all my sympathy.

Ayse Just out of interest which month were you born? I only ask because I was was born in December 1952 and retire in September 2015

Lynb1954 .What a dreadful situation. I have always enjoyed my job but things have changed so much over the last couple of years. I feel sidelined by younger people and experience seems to count for nothing. Hope you can work something out.

LynB, you cannot leave but you can annoy them enough to make you redundant if you want. Then you will be able to claim, and be given 22.5 weeks pay as statutory redundancy pay. You get 1.5 weeks pay for each year you have worked for the company. It's tax-free, too. It'll give you a chance to find something part time, or to go on a course.

Hi Grandma 60
I was born in June 1952 so the rate of non-retirement really goes up steeply. My mate was born in April '52 and she's already retired Grrr!! the last job I had was reception and I got totally fed up with being treated as an idiot by senior management. I have to say my colleagues were fine but the company worked because of the team spirit amongst the lowly admin staff. No team amongst the senior staff. The company behaved as if all the women were idiots, not just me. To be honest, I'd never worked in such a miserable company, where initiative was stamped on and discussion of anything was frowned upon. It was like going 30 years backwards. Guess what? If anything went wrong it was always a problem with something that a junior had done (not).

LynB, I joined a union just in case I needed some help in my job with my employers. As you can see from the above the company I worked for was no great shakes. I put up with it for 7 years but finally enough was when I was shouted at for something I had no control over - senior managers not answering their phones. I did think I might go to the docs as it was all very depressing. Finally, I was fortunate enough to be able to leave when it all became too much. I do hope you manage to sort something out. Nothing worse than a boring job in miserable circumstances. All the best

I've just checked the pension website - Looks as if every month means a 3 month increase in retirement age.

Wrong - 2 months

B and Q employ a lot of older people. In other areas too, a lot of customer service staff are mature. (e.g. my local Waitrose has a mix of young staff and over 55s). If you are in employment then you have a better chance of getting another job than if you have been out of it for a while.

Ayse I suppose I should look on the bright side. My old school friend was born in June 1953 and has to work 18 months longer than I do.

I remember when I was an Office Junior more years ago than I care to remember having great respect for the older members of staff. They were always known as Mr or Mrs 'Smith' never by their first names. Also we juniors were answerable to all of the other staff not just the boss

Now they all seem to leave college at 20 and expect to become managers. I'm sure they think the rest of us are all senile!

Also tired of spending half my time preparing for my appraisals or attending obscure training courses.

I seem to be getting a really miserable old bat. Time I retired!

I have same problem I was born in 1954 so I must work till I am 67, I have a mortgage and no private pension so no way can I afford to retire even then, the amount on benefits would not cover my mortgage, heating and food let alone all the other bills concerned with running a home. I now have 2 part time jobs but both are heavy and Im in constant pain with joint/muscular problems. I lie awake at night wondering how I can manage. I could sell my house but im not entitled to social housing as youre not supposed to 'make yourself homeless'. Also I could not afford to repair my house to make it sellable. Another thing is that I could not afford private rental. They have us by the short and curlies.

Well, strictly speaking, Silverfish if you sold your home you could afford private rental until your capital got below a certain level - then you could claim housing benefit.