Dealing with retirement

Your employer cannot force you to retire, this means that you are legally entitled to keep working for as long as you feel able to do so. However, it is important to think about retirement before you get close to doing so. You will need to ensure that you are financially able to support yourself when you stop working and this will mean having access to a pension fund.

The national or ‘state’ pension can be claimed if you have at least 10 years National Insurance and are a man born on or after 6 April 1951 or a woman born on or after 6 April 1953. You can check what you will receive by visiting the Tax service website.

You may also be paying into a workplace pension, thousands of employees are automatically being enrolled by their employer. You can choose to ‘opt out’ but paying into a pension is a clever way to plan for your retirement, ensuring that you are able to enjoy it to the full.

As well as planning financially it is important to plan what you are going to do with your new free time. Retirement can be life altering, but it also needs to be fulfilling. Too much free time can have negative consequences if it is not used effectively, therefore filling your time with new hobbies and interests is key to maintaining your health and wellbeing throughout your retirement.

For more information on planning for your retirement visit Age UK.

Further Advice

• Citizen’s Advice Bureau Cheshire East