17 Aug 2026

Working after retirement

What to consider if you’re thinking about working after retirement age.

The ideal retirement’s all about freedom. For years, you’ve been working hard and saving what you can. But many of us are choosing to stay in work of one kind or another. Others are ‘unretiring’, returning to work to help cover bills and living costs. While working into your later years may have its benefits, it’s good to understand the advantages and disadvantages of working after retirement in the UK.

In this article, we’re going to look at why working after retirement can be great choice, potential drawbacks, and your options.

Advantages and disadvantages of working in retirement

Working after retirement age isn’t for everyone. If you’ve spent the last 40 years or so working, you may just want to relax and enjoy your free time. There are advantages to working after retirement though. You’ll still have an income – or boost to your retirement income – and still pay into your pension, with the opportunity to maximise your employer’s contributions.

However, there are disadvantages of working after retirement age. You may find your work stressful, and no longer want to be committed to working long or unsociable hours. The freedom that retirement can offer is a tempting opportunity for many.

Going back to work after retirement

Making the choice to leave employment after a long career can be difficult, and many people choose to return to work after retirement. But it can also be an opportunity to take a new career path or to try something new. You should keep in mind though that if you start accessing your pension, you might trigger what's called Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA). This caps the amount you can pay into your pension each year at £10,000.

What will your retirement look like?

Understanding how much your retirement income could be can help you plan the best way to access your money. Our Retirement Income Calculator can help.

How many hours can I work after retirement in the UK?

There’s no restriction on the amount of hours you can work after retirement, and you can continue to work past your retirement age. So you can enjoy the flexibility retirement offers, whether that’s returning to work, continuing to work full-time, going part-time, or exploring unpaid work.

If you enjoy your role and don’t want to stop working full-time, then you can continue working after retirement age. This may impact your ability to access your pensions, so it’s worth checking with your pension provider. If you do access your pensions, this may push you into a higher income tax band, which might mean you’ll have to pay more tax on your earnings. Regardless, if you work past State Pension age, you won’t pay any National Insurance on the money you earn.

You can claim the State Pension even if you’re working full-time. But many choose to defer it. The longer you delay taking the State Pension, the larger weekly payments you’ll get when you do. You can find out more about deferring your State Pension on gov.uk.

Nearly nine million people are working part-time in the UK today. 3.5 million of those are over 50, and over one million are over 65, so if you’re considering reducing your hours at work, you’re not alone. It can be a great way to ease yourself into retirement while continuing to earn a living.

Returning to work after retirement can be a great way to stay connected while earning an income. But many find that retirement offers them a chance to volunteer. Helping a cause or charity in retirement can bring with it a social aspect, while also using skills and experience gained during your career. Finding a balance between paid and unpaid work can bring with it the ability to earn money, and give back to your community.

Can I work after a medical retirement?

If you have a health problem that means you can no longer do your job, you may be able to retire before the usual minimum age of 55 (or 57 from April 2028). If your circumstances change, you may be able to return to work. But if you've started to draw on your ill-health pension, it will depend on the type of pension you have and individual circumstances, so you'll need to check first. Returning to work may also impact any means-tested benefits you receive. Read more in our article.

What should I do next?

Visit the Retirement Living Standards website to start thinking about what sort of income you’ll need to fund the retirement you're looking for
Use our retirement income calculator to find out how much you could receive from your pension
If you’re considering the advantages and disadvantages of working after retirement, read our article, ‘What age can I retire?’, which goes into more detail about the pros and cons of staying in work or delaying retirement
Download our free Retirement Income Guide for a comprehensive read on how to plan your retirement
If you’re over 50 you can book an appointment with Pension Wise, a free service from MoneyHelper, who can help you understand how to plan your retirement income
We also have a Financial Advice team who can help you plan your retirement income
If you don't already have one, you can find a financial adviser at Unbiased. You'll probably have to pay for their advice

Smiling older woman talking on a mobile phone

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