Money Box Money Box Life: Working for Longer
Feb 25, 2026
Julie Dennis, ACAS inclusive workplace lead, on age discrimination and reasonable adjustments. Morgan Vine, Independent Age policy director, on pension gaps and support for low‑income older people. Zoe Alexander, Pensions UK policy director, on retirement living standards and saving guidance. They discuss why more people work past state pension age, employer flexibility, pension differences and tax questions.
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How Much Retirement Actually Costs
- Retirement Living Standards show widely different needs: minimum, moderate, and comfortable.
- Zoe Alexander gives figures: about £13,000 minimum, £31,000 moderate, and £43,000 comfortable per year (excluding housing).
Val Rebooted Her Career At 55 To Afford Living
- Val, in her 70s, retrained and became a bus driver after a midlife divorce to secure higher income.
- She downsized, bought a canal boat, and continues working because she enjoys it and needs the pay.
Make Adjustments Not Redundancies For Older Workers
- Employers should redeploy older staff or make reasonable adjustments rather than dismissing them if health prevents specific tasks.
- Julie Dennis cites the Equality Act duty to adjust roles and avoid dramatic pay drops when redeploying.