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I think I have just retired

Guineveretoo

Guineveretoo

Mostly bewildered
I was so miserable at work recently and it was affecting my mental health, and I have also been suffering with quite a lot of physical health problems as well.

It all reached a peak and, to cut a long story short, I am no longer employed.

I am 65, so I guess this is me being retired. I will get my state pension in a few months.

I already get Personal Independence Payment and a pension from previous employment.

But money is going to be tight from now on.

And my mental health is much worse than before I left work.

Bit of a fucking mess, frankly.

Onwards and upwards - need to sort myself out so I can get on with this new life without money but with lots of time.

No reason for posting other than wanting to tell people/anyone.
 
hope it works out well for you.

a few disconnected thoughts, some of which may be stating the obvious, but -

if you're still a few months off state pension age, are you going to claim universal credit / job seekers (or if you get PIP, ESA)? The whole process of claiming is crap, but it's designed to be crap to put people off claiming what they are entitled to.

having a work pension may put you over income limits for some means tested benefits, but inclined to suggest if in doubt, claim.

entitled to may be worth a look, age uk also have a fair bit on benefits for people either side of the state pension age.

if you're in greater london, take it you're aware that there is a 60+ oyster card available. once you turn state pension age, then there's an england wide free bus travel (off peak weekdays) scheme, and you can use that pass on buses anywhere in england. (there must be a process in london for transferring from the 60+ scheme to the national scheme, but i don't know the details.)

i think you have to do something to activate your state pension - i don't think it just arrives automatically. you may also (depending on how much your work pension is) be entitled to pension credit (again would say if in doubt claim) and disability benefits tend to be different (with less hoops to jump through) once you've reached pension age (i'm too long out of things with benefits to know whether you'll need to transfer a current PIP claim to something else.)

not asking you to go in to any detail here, but may be worth looking into.
 
WouldBe said:
Would volunteering help with your mh?

Hope it works out and you enjoy your retirement.
Click to expand...
Yes - I am planning on doing some volunteering once I have over this current MH crisis, and sorted a few things out. Right now, day to day life is enough for me to cope with.

Not working is a huge adjustment for me, and volunteering will not give me the job satisfaction I used to get, and which helped me cope in the past.

I will get there, I am sure.

I start with a new therapist next week, and I have got several health things unfolding.
 
Magnus McGinty said:
At 65 I assume you already qualify for state pension?
Click to expand...
Retirement age is starting to creep up - I've taken early retirement, I'm 62 this year and I've got to fund myself (through private pension) 'til I'm 67

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, but I'm not as "flush" as I was when I was working, but, as a friend who took early retirement at 57 told me "It's amazing how cheaply you can live when you've got not working as a option" and he's right
 
High Voltage said:
Retirement age is starting to creep up - I've taken early retirement, I'm 62 this year and I've got to fund myself (through private pension) 'til I'm 67

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, but I'm not as "flush" as I was when I was working, but, as a friend who took early retirement at 57 told me "It's amazing how cheaply you can live when you've got not working as a option" and he's right
Click to expand...
OP is female so state pension is 65 though I think?
 
Magnus McGinty said:
At 65 I assume you already qualify for state pension?
Click to expand...

Guineveretoo said:
Yes - I am planning on doing some volunteering once I have over this current MH crisis, and sorted a few things out. Right now, day to day life is enough for me to cope with.

Not working is a huge adjustment for me, and volunteering will not give me the job satisfaction I used to get, and which helped me cope in the past.

I will get there, I am sure.

I start with a new therapist next week, and I have got several health things unfolding.
Click to expand...
I retired from paid work a year ago. I didn't feel like I was retiring. If you think about the word it implies that you will shrink back and hide away, just gently fading. I decided to call myself a reinventorist. This silly made up word, gives me energy. It says, I am not shrinking or hiding but re inventing myself. Its an opportunity. Its me time, big time! I love it.
Look after yourself and have a good time!
 
two sheds said:
Good luck Guin. I have to say I fucking love being retired,
Click to expand...

Agreed. We're both officially retired now. Many years ago we worked out one state pension would cover the essentials and the other state pension covers the FUN (we have no mortgage).

Oh, I should say I dropped to 25 hours per week when I was 37 and "retired" when I was 44. I'm immune to the "work-ethic virus" that's going around.
 
Retirement that you hadn't planned for and weren't checking the days off on a calendar must be very scary, especially while you are trying to get all your finances in place wrt pensions and whatever benefits you might be entitled to.

I hope it all goes well for you, and that once the shock wears off you will be able to get sorted and look on this new phase of your life with happiness and embrace some of the freedom that comes with retirement.

If you are in London and want to do any environmental volunteering (no rush, just if you fancy it any time) then just ask - as well as doing my own volunteering in East London, I'm part of a London-wide network (London National Park City Rangers!) and might be able to point you towards something local to you.
 
Hi Guinevere

Sorry to hear about your health. You have had such serious health problems in recent years it's no wonder you feel as you do. I hope you feel you can relax into not working before long.

It's taken me a while, I had to stop working due to MH issues last year. I have a five more years to official retirement, but can't imagine ever 'working' again. Though a mix of social stuff and volunteering I feel much better now, and I hope you will feel better soon too.
 
Guineveretoo said:
Yes - I am planning on doing some volunteering once I have over this current MH crisis, and sorted a few things out. Right now, day to day life is enough for me to cope with.

Not working is a huge adjustment for me, and volunteering will not give me the job satisfaction I used to get, and which helped me cope in the past.

I will get there, I am sure.

I start with a new therapist next week, and I have got several health things unfolding.
Click to expand...

Just wanted to wish you good luck with getting over this bump in the road, here's hoping the health issues improve and allow you to see a way ahead that doesn't need paid work.

See various good thoughts from Sparkling, Epona and friendofdorothy. Get creative. Allow yourself time to do things you enjoy, where the "point" is just in the doing, iyswim. Helps you to be present, I find, in the moment. Growing things, making things, creating.

Anyway, wish you all the best.
 
Puddy_Tat said:
hope it works out well for you.

a few disconnected thoughts, some of which may be stating the obvious, but -

if you're still a few months off state pension age, are you going to claim universal credit / job seekers (or if you get PIP, ESA)? The whole process of claiming is crap, but it's designed to be crap to put people off claiming what they are entitled to.

having a work pension may put you over income limits for some means tested benefits, but inclined to suggest if in doubt, claim.

entitled to may be worth a look, age uk also have a fair bit on benefits for people either side of the state pension age.

if you're in greater london, take it you're aware that there is a 60+ oyster card available. once you turn state pension age, then there's an england wide free bus travel (off peak weekdays) scheme, and you can use that pass on buses anywhere in england. (there must be a process in london for transferring from the 60+ scheme to the national scheme, but i don't know the details.)

i think you have to do something to activate your state pension - i don't think it just arrives automatically. you may also (depending on how much your work pension is) be entitled to pension credit (again would say if in doubt claim) and disability benefits tend to be different (with less hoops to jump through) once you've reached pension age (i'm too long out of things with benefits to know whether you'll need to transfer a current PIP claim to something else.)

not asking you to go in to any detail here, but may be worth looking into.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. All already in hand.
 
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