Why the daily grind must go on for older workers

Retirement was something you looked forward to.

Now it's a milestone many may never reach. According to a new survey more people are working beyond their retirement to keep themselves in the lifestyle to which they've become accustomed.

A significant finding from the Bradford & Bingley study is refusal to down-size. While those contemplating retirement tend to put their house in order, ie consider investing in a smaller home, more than a quarter of pensioners would rather return to work than live in a smaller house.

Bradford & Bingley said its study into financial attitudes "exploded the myth" that selling family property is a popular way to fund retirement.

A survey of almost 1,000 homeowners aged over 50 found that more than a third still lived in the first house they bought.

The vast majority said they wanted to remain in their home for as long as they could with many looking to take drastic action to make sure they do so.

Twenty-six per cent were prepared to work past their pension age or return to employment in order to safeguard the family home.

Gus Park, head of lifetime mortgages at Bradford & Bingley, said: "Our survey found the average retiree lives on a household income of £11,800, so it is little wonder that many are feeling the pinch.

"Indeed, many will have to face some tough decisions if they are to make ends meet in the long term.

"But although over half of all respondents owned properties with three or more bedrooms, just one in five of our survey said they would consider down-sizing as a way to plan for a comfortable retirement."

Pensioners' champion, Audrey Raistrick, trustee and secretary of Neighbourly Care, an organisation looking after the interests of the elderly which meets at Bradford's Thornbury Centre, believes many could be working beyond retirement for the sake of their children.

High house prices have made it impossible for first-time buyers to get a foothold on the property ladder. Audrey believes many parents can't down-size simply because they still need the larger nest.

The retired college lecturer was in her late 50s when she made her biggest property investment, a five-bed home with stables. She's since down-sized to a two-bed flat.

"I bought a big property with stables for the children so I could provide for them.

"They (those working past retirement) are not doing it for their own sake. They're doing it for their families because they can't afford to move on, and if you have a big property you have to keep on working to maintain it. There's no simple solution to it."

Jean Walker, chairman of Bradford and District Senior Power, a campaigning and support network set up a year ago for the elderly of the city and district, is fortunate she doesn't have to consider down-sizing at the moment. She believes many elderly people would rather stay where they are than uproot to a community they're not as familiar with, and can appreciate why some people return to work to maintain the status quo.

"If they feel fit enough and mentally well enough, if it does them good and if they can cope it's fine and if it solves a problem financially it's fine but if it affects their health they can't do it."

Keith Nathan, chief officer for Age Concern Bradford and District believes there are many reasons why people don't want to down-size. Some may be maintaining their most sizeable asset, being their property, should the inevitable arise and they have to fund their healthcare later in life.

"People also have an attachment to their own homes, irrespective of age. We are aware there is a problem in that we have people who are asset rich but income poor. They're in properties they want to stay in but they're not able to keep it up. It needs a bit of thinking and help."

There are other issues too. Contrary to the survey and one of the charity's great concerns is there are currently more 50 and 60-year-olds out of work in the city than nationally which Keith claims is a waste of talent.

With so many issues, he says, there's no clear-cut solution. Possible long-term options include flexible working patterns and greater support in retirement planning.

"People need to be given more choices. People don't tend to think about retirement until their late 50s but we need to help people to plan these things in advance."

At 64, Gillian Douglas is working well past her retirement age and has no plans to take her foot off the pedal just yet.

For nearly 19 years Gillian has been a familiar face on the check-out at Bradford's B&Q store on the Euroway Estate, a company recognised for its pioneering approach to employing an age diverse workforce.

She intended retiring at 60 but was asked to work two days a week and, because she loves her job, decided to stay on. "We'd down-sized before I retired so that didn't come into it, but my husband said it keeps your mind active and it's a bit of extra money too."

But with the cost of living escalating, Gillian says she can appreciate why people are forced to return to or carry on working. "Everything is so expensive so it allows you to have a few treats along the way."

Health prevailing, Gillian says she'll continue for as long as she can. "As long as health lets me I will carry on and it keeps your brain active!" she says.

At 61 Keith Wood is Yorkshire Water's oldest trainee leakage detector. He fancied a career change from the timber yard where he previously worked and discovered his new role advertised in the local job centre.

"I'm all right having a few days at home then I've had enough so I didn't want to retire," says Keith.

So he decided on a new challenge instead. He joined Yorkshire Water nine months ago and spends his days (and some nights) patrolling the streets of Yorkshire searching for leaks using traditional listening techniques, acoustic logging or step testing.

Keith believes the pension situation may have prompted many into continuing working. "I think the pension collapse caused a lot of it, people not getting what they were going to frightened one or two but not in my case I just enjoy doing it, "And," he adds, "there's nothing wrong with work. It keeps you young!"