Im almost 64 firm expect me to to run about like an 18 year old.

Lavant_Lad

Hello all, well as in title really, there are no light jobs at my current company, I ache all over, and my hands are beginning to stiffen up.
All this for £880 a month in hand.
I am seriously considering just walking away !!!!
I have been in gain full employment since I was 15, never been unemployed.
I am married, my wife is 63, we have no savings, and we life in a council flat.
I do get some tax credit + my rent and council tax are reduced.
What should I do? I feel worn out, and the job is really getting me down.
Advise is very welcome, thanks for reading.

tyllwyd

What is your pension situation?

Are you a member of a union?

Is your health affected? One thing to be aware of is that GPs can now issue fit notes (rather than sick notes) - so instead of signing you off completely, they can say that you are fit for work but only light duties. Make sure that you find out if there are any other options before you rush to hand in your notice.

cyclonebri1

Unfortunately our dear government now expects you to work to 66 at least, probably 70 pretty dam soon.

Sorry to add if you haven't done the neccessary by now, it really is too late, they want us to save or die working:mad:

isplumm

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Unfortunately our dear government now expects you to work to 66 at least, probably 70 pretty dam soon.

Sorry to add if you haven't done the neccessary by now, it really is too late, they want us to save or die working:mad:

As the OP is almost 64 & the 66 retirment age thing is unlikely to come into force until 2016, I don't really thing this will effect him.

You can retire when you want - you just will not get the UK state pension until 65 (eventually going upto 70) - which as it is only about £100 a week ... might not be worth waiting for.

Mark

cyclonebri1

isplumm wrote: »

As the OP is almost 64 & the 66 retirment age thing is unlikely to come into force until 2016, I don't really thing this will effect him.

You can retire when you want - you just will not get the UK state pension until 65 (eventually going upto 70) - which as it is only about £100 a week ... might not be worth waiting for.

Mark

Unfortunately we don't know what the op has to be worth waiting for.it may be all he has to look forward to???

B.E.N

Lavant_Lad wrote: »

Hello all, well as in title really, there are no light jobs at my current company, I ache all over, and my hands are beginning to stiffen up.
All this for £880 a month in hand.
I am seriously considering just walking away !!!!
I have been in gain full employment since I was 15, never been unemployed.
I am married, my wife is 63, we have no savings, and we life in a council flat.
I do get some tax credit + my rent and council tax are reduced.
What should I do? I feel worn out, and the job is really getting me down.
Advise is very welcome, thanks for reading.

Well, firstly, take it as a compliment that they think you can run around like an 18 year-old!

If there are no 'light' jobs in the company then I'm afraid your options are limited. Are there really no light jobs (reception/answering calls/payroll?)

I don't know your exact circumstances, but you may be able to claim Pension Credit - unlike the normal state pension, eligibility starts at 60 for men (nothing whatsoever todo with keeping unemployment figures down by pensioning people off early :cough:). See this link for more info:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneytaxandbenefits/benefitstaxcreditsandothersupport/on_a_low_income/dg_10018692

mrcow

Well firstly, whatever you do, don't just walk away.

What does your company do?
Have you spoken to them about it? How large is the company?

Have you considered going part time?

Newly_retired

Struggle on till you're 65 if you can. Or speak to HR at work about your problem - lighter duties / part time? Fit note form GP ie fit only for lighter duties?
Benefits - once you stop work you will lose tax credits but at over 60 you can get Pension Credit and maybe will get an increase in Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit if they are not already paid in full. So you will probably be better off.
Are you badly enough affected by arthritis to claim DLA? You can only that if you are under 65. If you claim after that it would be Attendance Allowance. These benefits are getting harder to qualify for, however.

KMK

This person deserves more respect than some posters are giving.Not everyone can earn high salaries. He has worked all his life even though many in his position choose to live on benefits because "it's not worth working for a low wage".I can understand that on a low wage it must be nigh on impossible to save for a pension.

We need to acknowledge the dignity of all work instead of concentrating only on jobs which give high staus or high wages. I think that for some people, working in an arduous, physical job well past 65 will be extremely difficult.

I cannot offer any advice but I wish you well. You should be proud of your work record and your contribution to society over the years.

lilac_lady

I agree with every word of your post KMK.

ginandtonic1988

You've got full sympathies from me op, my father is in exactly the same postion as you, its so hard for him. He has cut his hours down to 37.5 and has early nights and plenty of rest when he gets in from work but nothing changes the fact that he can't retire until 65 cause he can't afford. He however has saved enough but having a private pension which has not made enough over the year presume this may be caused by the recession. My mother retired at 60 good job really as her health hasn't been the best lately either with horrendous blood pressure problems.

Im dreading getting to their ages and I think alot of people in the UK feel like this but when you earn just above the minimum wage you can't save enough to retire early, what do you do in these circumstances?

OP good luck and god bless you.