Case Study

Retirement wasn’t for me. Maybe not for you, either?

27 Aug 2025

Maggie retired when she was 68, thinking she wouldn’t be entering the world of work ever again. 

That thought didn’t last long. In fact, just two weeks later she had found another job. Not because she HAD to, but because she WANTED to. 

It’s four years since and Maggie is loving her role as a Personal Wellbeing Advisor in Ingeus’ Justice division in the West Midlands. She is firmly committed to her unretirement. 

Maggie moved to Birmingham from Kent 24 years ago to launch a project supporting sex workers to get off the street and into training or work. Then followed spells with apprenticeship providers, Border Force at Birmingham Airport and, opting to continue working beyond her official retirement age of 60, supporting young people who had have been in trouble with the law. 

Finally, at the age of 68 and having taken voluntary redundancy, she thought enough is enough in terms of her career. Having more freedom and the chance to spend time with her family was her goal. 

She soon made a U-turn: “How much housework can you do? The dogs got sick of me because of all the walks I was taking them on! 

“I thought: ‘I’m not happy, I’m not doing what I think I’m best at. I still have lots to offer.’” 

It came as no surprise to her partner and the rest of her family. She says: “Even at 60, everyone always thought I would keep working.”  

Now she works alongside Probation Officers and visits people in prison to prepare them for life back in the community. 

She says carrying on working “keeps my brain active, keeps me healthy” and believes other older people could benefit from doing the same: 

“People in their 60s, 70s, even 80s have a lot to offer. You have got a wealth of experience you can bring to a business. You have empathy, common sense and a wider vision. You can pass on your experience to younger employees too. 

“Maybe you don’t realise the value you can bring to a company or are scared and think you won’t match up to younger candidates who may have a degree or more advanced tech skills. 

“Remember, you have skills other people haven’t got, because they’ve not lived your life. A lot of companies, like Ingeus, will see that and will realise the other qualities you bring. 

“My advice would be to go for it. Take the plunge. Take that leap of faith.  

“I’m fortunate that I didn’t need to go back for financial reasons, although many people do nowadays, but even if you do, don’t settle for a mundane job if you feel you can take on more challenging roles. 

“Age is just a number. Our skills are still there. We are not in it for glory, we are not in it for promotion, we are not here for anything but to do a good job.” 

Maggie’s tips 

• Job shares, compressed hours, working from home or going self-employed are all options for those not wanting to go back into full time work. 
• Dust off your CV, emphasising the soft skills brought by experience such as communication, organisation and reliability, if you are looking for a job outside of your previous roles. 
• If you are looking to learn new skills there are plenty of online courses, including IT upskilling, practical training, or even apprenticeships, which are open to any age.  
• If you work past state pension age, you won't pay any National Insurance on the money you earn and can still claim your pension even if you're working full-time. You can also choose to defer it – the longer you delay, the larger weekly payments you'll get. 
• The Centre for Ageing Better has lots of advice on working beyond retirement.