When you picture “retirement,” what comes to mind?
For many of us, it’s still the old image of stopping work at 65, collecting a pension, and spending the next decade or so quietly enjoying life. But that idea of retirement is based on a world that doesn’t really exist anymore.
The UK state pension was first introduced in 1908, and back then it was available from age 70 and was for manual workers only. At the time, most people didn’t live long enough to claim it. The aim wasn’t about decades of leisure, but about giving financial support in those final years when work was no longer possible.
Fast forward 100+ years, and not only has the state pension age changed during that time, we’re living much longer, often healthier lives, and retirement has become an entire life stage in its own right. It’s no longer just an “end of life safety net” but a whole new chapter we can shape around our values and goals.
The question is not “can you retire at 65?” but instead “How do you want to live the later chapters of your life?”
Why Retirement Looks Different Now
✨ We’re living longer than ever.
According to the ONS, someone aged 65 in the UK today can expect to live 19-23 more years That’s potentially 20+ years of retirement to fund, not the 10 or so our grandparents planned for.
✨ We’re healthier for longer.
Seventy today doesn’t look like seventy a generation ago. Many people still have the energy, health, and ambition to keep working, travelling, or even starting something new.
✨ Work has shifted.
Job changes, career switches, flexible work, the gig economy, remote work… the traditional “work flat out for 40 years and then stop” model is no longer the only option.
✨ Technology has opened doors.
Work from anywhere, manage your money on your phone, stay connected with family wherever they are. The tools exist to shape life more flexibly than ever before.
What Could Retirement Look Like for You?
Instead of one long stretch of work followed by one long stretch of rest, think of life in chapters.
Here are just a few possibilities we’re seeing people embrace:
🌿 Mini-retirements or sabbaticals
Taking a few months off in your 30s, 40s or 50s to recharge, travel, or spend quality time with family.
🌿 Family-first flexibility
Maybe taking a year out while your children are small, knowing you’ll work a bit longer later.
🌿 Early adventures
Want to live abroad? Test it out at 45 when you’ve got the energy and curiosity instead of at 65 or 70.
🌿 A phased retirement
Carrying on with work you enjoy into your 70s, but on your own terms. Consulting, mentoring, part-time roles… rather than a hard stop.
The point is: retirement doesn’t have to be all or nothing anymore. You get to decide the shape it takes.
Planning for a Flexible Future
Here’s the tricky part: we’re not always good at predicting what our future selves will want. Which is why it makes sense to build options into your financial plan.
That might mean:
- Setting aside money for a sabbatical fund, not just a pension.
- Stress-testing your plan to see if you could afford to work fewer hours for a while.
- Looking at how your pensions, savings, and investments could flex to support different chapters of life.
A good financial plan isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about creating the freedom to make choices. Whether that’s retiring early, working differently, or simply having peace of mind that you won’t run out of money, choice brings freedom.
Final Thought
The old idea of retirement might be fading, but the new one is even more exciting: a chance to design later life around what matters most to you.
At Willow Tree Financial Services, we help you put the right financial roots in place so that you can grow into whatever future feels right, whether that’s adventure, family time, or simply knowing you’ll be secure.
We offer personalised advice on financial planning, mortgages, investments, pensions, insurance, and estate planning, tailored to your goals and circumstances.
Call us on 01323 436680, get in touch here, or book an appointment here to get started.
We’re based in Polegate, East Sussex, and support clients across the South East and beyond.
Stay in touch with us on social media:
http://facebook.com/willowtreefinancialservices
linkedin.com/in/rachael-panteney
http://instagram.com/willowtreefinancialservices.uk
Plus, visit our YouTube channel where you can lots of helpful financial advice videos:
http://www.youtube.com/@willowtreefinancialservices
Willow Tree Financial Services is a trading style of Rachael Panteney who is an appointed representative of Quilter Financial Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The value of investments and pensions, and any income they produce, can fall as well as rise. You may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate wills, trusts, estate planning, and lasting power of attorney.
