Apparently the government intends to focus on the economically inactive. I remember when they focussed on the long term sick and spent millions on assessments etc. Only to discover that the vast majority of claimants were actually sick. I think that the focus would be better in improving the health services.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/07/jeremy-hunt-economically-inactive-benefit-scroungers-rightwing-press?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
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Going back to work?
(34 Posts)My DH has gone back last month.
We sold parts of our business and are now semi retired.
But DH got bored eventually. Plus was feeling increasingly unhealthy due to not moving around anywhere near as much as before.
But not sure he will be able to stick with doing 5 full days. He has to stand up most of the day.
He now works for someone else, on a self employed basis.
I would never have gone back to employed work after 60 because you get hammered by tax. As self employed/working from home you can write off all sorts - including a % of your heating, lighting, phone. broadband, c tax and mortgage.
I have loved every second of retirement.
Re tax hammering, perhaps this slow learner government will get the idea and change the tax laws. I wouldn't bank on it though 🙄
Wondering why you would get hammered by tax if you were going back to work now aged 60
I’m 70 in two days time and I’ve been working since I was 15 (apart from bringing my children up) I still work 18 hours a week in a care home which I do really enjoy….🤗
I'm presuming biglouis means after retirement age.
I'm not retired yet but I can't imagine my life without work. Not back breaking, killing myself work, like I did as a full-time teacher. But 20 or so hours a week work.
72 n a couple of weeks and I am far far too busy to work.
Himself made me laugh the other day. He’d taken our two grandchildren out on a bike ride in the sunshine. Whilst out he saw an ice cream van and asked them if they’d like one. As per, they spent a few minutes choosing. With flake? Sauce? Sprinkles? Scoop tiny marshmallows? It was at this point he realised he’d not taken his wallet.
😱
Undeterred, he remembered he had some change in the pocket of his jeans. “£6 please mate” said the ice cream man! Luckily he had just six pounds coins in his pocket and a 50p piece. When he got back home his deadpan remark was “I might just be one of those retirees Sunak is looking for, needing to go back to work”.
🤣
GagaJo
I'm not retired yet but I can't imagine my life without work. Not back breaking, killing myself work, like I did as a full-time teacher. But 20 or so hours a week work.
Life without work is wonderful!! (Apart from having no money.)
My daughter was told of someone coming to the end of their career….the person in question was just over fifty! Seems that some industries don’t want oldish workers!
Retirement is fine but you have to be able to afford it
rosie1959
Retirement is fine but you have to be able to afford it
Or learn to take pleasure in the things you can afford.
What is the point of exhorting over 50s to go back to work, when a recent survey showed that the older you were the less inclined an employer was to take you on.
Companies nowadays have to make reports on the proprtion of employees they have by their sex and ethnic origin, why not include age? The distribution of the age of a company's workforce should reflect the age distribution of the country as a whole.
growstuff
GagaJo
I'm not retired yet but I can't imagine my life without work. Not back breaking, killing myself work, like I did as a full-time teacher. But 20 or so hours a week work.
Life without work is wonderful!! (Apart from having no money.)
I love interacting with my students though. I could do without the exam marking, but it does keep my mind sharp and active. And if CIE ever goes back to pre-covid conditions, a few paid trips to Cambridge a year will be a nice benefit.
I was approached in M&S yesterday (to upgrade my M&S card). The lady was going to be 77 next month and still enjoying work, but not the travel to get there.
M0nica
What is the point of exhorting over 50s to go back to work, when a recent survey showed that the older you were the less inclined an employer was to take you on.
Companies nowadays have to make reports on the proprtion of employees they have by their sex and ethnic origin, why not include age? The distribution of the age of a company's workforce should reflect the age distribution of the country as a whole.
Totally agree, well said...
From previous job-hunting experience in my 50s, I can confirm that ageism is alive and well in the workplace.
GagaJo
growstuff
GagaJo
I'm not retired yet but I can't imagine my life without work. Not back breaking, killing myself work, like I did as a full-time teacher. But 20 or so hours a week work.
Life without work is wonderful!! (Apart from having no money.)
I love interacting with my students though. I could do without the exam marking, but it does keep my mind sharp and active. And if CIE ever goes back to pre-covid conditions, a few paid trips to Cambridge a year will be a nice benefit.
I have my free bus pass and go to Cambridge whenever I want!
(It's about 15 miles)
I honestly don't miss anything about teaching. I don't even do tuition now. I enjoy having the time to interact with other people (people I choose).
There is absolutely no price I could put on the lack of stress and time to do what I want. Even though I'm getting older, I have never felt happier or (quite bizarrely) healthier. I don't care much about material things, so the lack of money doesn't bother me too much.
Our eldest SIL recently retired, earning more consulting, and time to travel. Plus no commute or meals and work clothing, taxes reduced by expenses of home office. They seem to be quite pleased with his choice.
To have more people in work, it’s not the older ones the government should aim for but the younger mothers who want to return back to work but need help.
They should work out the value of free childcare. I heard again today on the BBC, a mother was staying at home as it wasn’t worth going to work because the cost of childcare was too high. She in the long run, will suffer from a low pension.
DH, 80 this year, is still working. Since retiring at 60, he has worked as a consultant engineer. How much work he does varies a lot. He can have several months with no work and then be doing the equivalent of 2 days a week, (from his desk at home) for several months.
He says that, as far as he is concerned, he will keep working until the work dries up or he becomes mentally incapable of doing it.
growstuff
GagaJo
growstuff
GagaJo
I'm not retired yet but I can't imagine my life without work. Not back breaking, killing myself work, like I did as a full-time teacher. But 20 or so hours a week work.
Life without work is wonderful!! (Apart from having no money.)
I love interacting with my students though. I could do without the exam marking, but it does keep my mind sharp and active. And if CIE ever goes back to pre-covid conditions, a few paid trips to Cambridge a year will be a nice benefit.
I have my free bus pass and go to Cambridge whenever I want!
(It's about 15 miles)
I honestly don't miss anything about teaching. I don't even do tuition now. I enjoy having the time to interact with other people (people I choose).
There is absolutely no price I could put on the lack of stress and time to do what I want. Even though I'm getting older, I have never felt happier or (quite bizarrely) healthier. I don't care much about material things, so the lack of money doesn't bother me too much.
I keep mulling over going to work overseas again. I feel as if I've got one last hurrah left in me. One of my old schools tried to lure me back a couple of weeks ago and I was sorely tempted.
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