More than one in four people plan to work full or part-time after they reach state pension age, new research suggests.
Women are more likely to plan to work later in life out of necessity, while men say it will be through choice, said a report.
A survey of more than 2,000 adults by Rest Less found that 28% plan to work beyond their state pension age, with many saying they could not afford to retire, or wanted to keep working for their health and wellbeing.
Rest Less, which gives advice to older people, said the whole concept of retiring was changing.
Founder Stuart Lewis said: “We are living longer lives than previous generations which means that many of us are now working for longer than we might have planned.
More than one in four people plan to work full or part-time after they reach state pension age, new research suggests.
Lauren Hurley
“For some, working longer is a positive choice which reaps many physical, mental and social benefits. For others, the choice is denied as people find they must keep working to make ends meet.
“The UK state pension is already relatively modest compared to other countries, and following the suspension of the triple-lock, is now set to rise significantly less than the Bank of England’s forecast for inflation in April.
“With few ways of boosting earnings after retirement, miserly interest rates on savings and the cost of living surging, millions are at risk of suffering pensioner poverty.
“Today, the whole concept of retirement is changing. The idea that retirement is a cliff-edge where you work five days a week for 40 or 50 years and then suddenly stop, ‘cold turkey’, is no longer accurate.
“Instead, more and more people are viewing retirement as a transition to a new phase of life to be lived in a fulfilling and purposeful way.”
Gareth Fuller
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “Older workers are a huge asset to our economy and the majority of those polled by this survey who plan to remain in work beyond state pension age identified health, social and wellbeing benefits as their main reason for staying in employment.
“For those who decide to retire, from April the full yearly amount of the basic state pension will be over £2,300 higher than in 2010 and we continue to encourage those eligible for Pension Credit, and the wide range of other benefits it can provide, to make a claim.”
