What am I, pensioner or unemployed ?

jamesd

Mojisola wrote: »

No, you're not. You haven't reached retirement age until you reach your SPA.

Not so. Retirement age is whenever you retire, state pension age is whenever the state pension starts to be payable. Some workplace pensions will pay out in full at age 50. Normal personal pensions allow retiring on the pension from 55. Both way before state pension age and both not uncommon targets for those who want to retire as early as reasonably practical. For the whole population, average retirement age is normally three to four years before state pension age.

Mojisola

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

My take is that men under 65 are employment age and that women under 60 are employment age.

As a woman over 60 that makes me a pensioner and retired and I am looking to get pensioner discounts/benefits as far as possible.

However, State agencies simply will not regard me as retirement age (even though I am) because I have not yet reached my revised State Pension Age.

jamesd wrote: »

Not so. Retirement age is whenever you retire, state pension age is whenever the state pension starts to be payable.

I was replying to this thread - until you reach SPA, you are not a pensioner entitled to pensioner discounts.

A few places offer "over 60" discounts but most organisations link their offers to the SPA. It's no good demanding a bus pass because you're 60 if the entitlement only starts when you reach SPA.

jamesd

Whether someone is entitled to pensioner discounts just depends on the particular rules of whatever the discount scheme is. For state sponsored schemes I agree that's usually state pension age but this isn't the same as meaning they aren't retired or aren't a pensioner until then.

purdyoaten

I am 52 and retired (although my wife will never accept it will be for long!). In my eyes I won't be a pensioner for another fifteen years when I receive the state pension. I am probably wrong because, as a result of this thread, I am no longer sure whether a civil service pensioner is a pensioner or a civil servant who is drawing a pension while waiting to be a pensioner.

xylophone

a pensioner or a civil servant who is drawing a pension while waiting to be a pensioner.

You are a pensioner (because you are being paid a pension) - you are just not yet a state pensioner.

purdyoaten

xylophone wrote: »

You are a pensioner (because you are being paid a pension) - you are just not yet a state pensioner.

Actually I'm not - I was just referring to civil service pensioners!

However, I can see how you would have made that assumption - apologies!

moneyistooshorttomention

jamesd wrote: »

Not so. Retirement age is whenever you retire, state pension age is whenever the state pension starts to be payable. Some workplace pensions will pay out in full at age 50. Normal personal pensions allow retiring on the pension from 55. Both way before state pension age and both not uncommon targets for those who want to retire as early as reasonably practical. For the whole population, average retirement age is normally three to four years before state pension age.

That's how I tend to think personally.

If I had retired in my 50s and was still in my 50s, then I would be describing myself as "early retired", rather than as "retired". I'm not quite sure what I would be calling myself if I had retired and was a man between 60-64 (probably "early retired" there as well).

On the other hand, if I had been made redundant in my 50s and was genuinely trying to get another job, then I'd be describing myself as "unemployed", even though I'd rate my chances of that job as zilch personally.

moneyistooshorttomention

jamesd wrote: »

Whether someone is entitled to pensioner discounts just depends on the particular rules of whatever the discount scheme is. For state sponsored schemes I agree that's usually state pension age but this isn't the same as meaning they aren't retired or aren't a pensioner until then.

True.

I asked for my concessionary rate (as a pensioner) for my ticket for a social event the other day. I wasn't asked for my proof of being retirement age and don't know whether the proof they would have wanted was proof of having reached my revised SPA (which I don't have) or would have accepted my free buspass (as that and the fact of being female is proof that I am retirement age). Hopefully, if they ever ask for specific proof, then they will accept my buspass as suitable proof.

Is this where the phrase "neither fish nor fowl" comes from...ie when you know that you are "fish", but some persist in treating you as "fowl" LOL and you get treated differently in different places on that one?

seven-day-weekend

My husband and I took early retirement in our mid-50s and lived on his Teachers' pension until I was able to draw my State Pension at 60 (one of the last to do so at this age). He was able to draw his Teachers' Pension (greatly reduced) when he was 55.

We considered ourselves 'retired' inasmuch as we were not working nor seeking work. We lived in Spain from 2004-2011.

We came back to England in 2011. We were both over 60 by this time, so we were entitled to Pensioner 'perks', as even though my husband had not reached his State retirement age, he had reached the State retirement age for a female born on the same day. So we got our bus passes and prescriptions, WFA, etc.

He has now received his first State Pension at the end of January, so now we are both officially 'Pensioners' (even though we are now working again part-time).

So, before State Pension age we were retired but not Pensioners, and now we are Pensioners but not completely retired

Take your pick!

CKhalvashi

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

True.

I asked for my concessionary rate (as a pensioner) for my ticket for a social event the other day. I wasn't asked for my proof of being retirement age and don't know whether the proof they would have wanted was proof of having reached my revised SPA (which I don't have) or would have accepted my free buspass (as that and the fact of being female is proof that I am retirement age). Hopefully, if they ever ask for specific proof, then they will accept my buspass as suitable proof.

Is this where the phrase "neither fish nor fowl" comes from...ie when you know that you are "fish", but some persist in treating you as "fowl" LOL and you get treated differently in different places on that one?

Although I have the option to (and probably will) retire at 55, although probably will keep a minority stake in the business after that on condition I don't return to my country of origin.

I class 'retired' as receiving a pension on some sort.

CK