I am probably really jumping the gun, but I’d like people’s experience and opinions on taking early retirement on health grounds.
I’m only 40, and was diagnosed with BC (?IBC) stage 3 & grade 3 a month ago.
I have two young children (2ys & 7 months) and a very demanding (physically & mentally) job. There is no way I can ever see me returning to work in my current position, or to be honest wanting to as I’m taking stock of my priorities.
Even at 40, I’ve been employed by the same employer for 22 years, so my pension would be reasonable, and just about enough to keep the wolf from the door, or allow me to just work part-time
Has anyone else gone down this route, and do you have any words of wisdom?
I think you will be too young to draw your pension. I believe that 50 is currently the minimum for personal type pensions, although that is rising to 55. For company schemes, it usually depends on the rules of scheme and the trustees have to agree but even then I still think 50 is a minimum. The only exemptions are sometimes on ill health grounds but I believe you have to be terminal.
Does your employer offer permanent health insurance/income protection type benefits. If that is the case, if you become unable to work because of your bc, that may pay out but the insurers are usually very strict on their criteria because it means they could be paying out until you get to 65
Sorry to be a wet blanket but I don’t want you to raise your hopes too high
Thanks for your insight. I work for the NHS and they “will” let me go, even at my young age apparently!
I wasn’t sure what the criteria would be, and from what I’ve read (which is all jargon from what I see), it doesn’t need to be terminal, just need to be permanently unable to do my current job. I’m guessing all schemes are differnent, so perhaps I need to speak to them directly and see how things lie
Hi Rebecca I have friend who retired early from the NHS, she was allowed to return to work, after a 6 week break provided she did not work more than 16 hours a week. another did the same but had problems with her pension because altho she worked less than the 16 hours permitted, her income was high. perhaps if you are a member the union may advise you
You need to apply with the backing of occupational health. If you are turned down, it is worth appealing as I have seen several people get it on appeal. I work in HR in the NHS and have dealt with several people applying for ill health retirement. It isn’t always apparent why some get it and some don’t. The decision is not made by your Trust but by the pensions department.
Good luck
Anne
I was granted early retirement from the NHS 3 years ago at the age of 46 on ill health grounds following BC as I only have limited movement in my arm.
It was quite a fight and i had to appeal twice with the help of occ health and HR. I too had grade 3/stage 3 cancer.
Once you have got early retirement you are allowed to work part time but not more than 16 hours a week and there is a cap on how much you can earn.
My line manager was very helpful and started all the proceedings for me but it did take almost 2 years to sort out.
If you decide to go down this route good luck, I’ve never regretted my decision.
Jakey
Most public sector early retirement schmes have tightened up their regulations over the past couple of years so it can be very difficult to get early retirement on health grounds without forfeiting your right to work even part time, even in another job. I was in the Teachers Pension fund when I gto early retirement (aged 55) 3 years ago. I am not allowed to teach again even part time though I can take other part time work. However people retiring now from teaching face tougher regulations about working even in non teaching jobs. So check the details of your scheme very craefully.
My oncologist was very supportive of my application (I was grade 3 ,stage 3) and made my prognosis out to be even gloomier than it was. I got early retirement and have never regretted it. I used to do a part time job in an education related role though have given that up for a while as I’m going through further treatment.
Gettng breast cancer got me rethinking my priorities though I was much nearer normal retirement age than you are.
I’d say wait until you have finished treatment before making a decision.
Hi Rebecca, the others have given you sensible advice as to the ‘legalities’ of retiring early. As Jane has said, perhaps wait until all treatment has finished and then see how you feel. Obviously you are feeling rotten at the moment , coupled with having to look after small children, but in a few months you may well be glad to be getting back to some sort of normality - even if it is in a different job.
I retired early as well, but then took a part time job with far fewer hours. The only mistake I made was that my income was very low, below the NI limit, and I hadn’t really considered how that would affect my future state retirement pension. Thankfully I got my forecast and managed to pay back ‘missing contribution years’, so my pension is now the same as if I had worked until my proper retirement age. But I am glad to be out of the ‘madhouse’ which was my - very enjoyable but stressful - job.
My wife who is now 38, worked for the NHS - finance manager, for around 13 years or so before going on maternity leave after the birth of our little girl who is now 2 1/2. She had a lot of pain at birth and it took 6 months to diagnose mestatic breast cancer - she had been free from first occourance for some 6 years or so.
She applied for and got without question retirement on ill health grounds. The NHS scheme automaticly bumps your pension up to half pension provided you have completed a few years service I believe. Having young children also influences matters. She is allowed to work again if she wishes, with any employer, but choses not to, much prefering looking after our little one instead which I know is not an easy job but rewarding!
Certainly worth investigating with your pension provider I would suggest. Yes money is tight in our case but its amazing the cut backs we have managed to make which still make life comfortable without any sacrifise!
May I take this opportunity to wish you the very best of luck for your treatment.
Dave
I was a lot older than you when I went for early retirement on health grounds from teaching (although not with bc). Do you belong to a union as I feel that without their support and particularly, guidance on how to apply and what wording to get on the forms, I would not have got it. Speak to your union rep, either the local one or probably, of more help, the full time regional rep without delay!
I too work for the NHS and although I haven’t been with them long enough to take an early retirement with financial security, one thing having BC does is make you re-evaluate your life. I commuted to work, spending nearly four hours a day travelling whilst running a home with husband and two teenagers and studying for a MA! I am now off sick for a while and enjoying every moment of being officially allowed to take things easy. I have always worked, throughout both my sons growing up etc. It is surprising how much money you can save when you need to. As I am not going anywhere much, I don’t spend!! I am seriously considering finding another career, one which is nowhere near as high powered but rewarding and where I can take life at a much slower pace. I can’t go back to doing what I was so now’s my chance. Good luck with what you decide - life is too short to base decisions purely on the grounds of finance - yes we need to pay the bills and to live comfortably, but do we need all the excess we spend?
I was lucky and had early retirement agreed just before the bc diagnosis (I was then 55 so older than you). I have never regretted it. It was great to have enough coming in to keep us going - my husband is quite a lot older than me and already retired, so I was the main breadwinner. It was a real relief not to have to worry about going back to a fascinating but very stressful job. Nearly a year on from original diagnosis I am now thinking of getting something part time and less demanding. Will have to see how it goes. After so many years of full time work I am really enjoying my freedom! And having the choice to work or not work as I wish.
Hi Rebecca
I’m glad you posted this thread as it may help me. All through chemo I planned to go back to work, to have a sense of normality but now I don’t want to waste my time in work when I could be spending the time with my family. One day I think I’ll go back because I hopefully will be around for years and I have a job I enjoy, but the next day I panic and think what if I don’t have years left and I’m wasting them. So i’ll also be reading this thread for words of wisdom. I’m in a slightly different situation to you as I have secondaries.
Thanks for all of your comments and insight, it’s good to hear that some of you have already followed this route sucessfully
At the moment I am really struggling with the idea of leaving the children to go to work, and to be honest it panics me, that like Liz says I may be wasting time I do have.
My job is great but very busy and stressful, and involves a four hour commute each day which I now think of as wasted time.
I’m suprised that the process could take a couple of years to complete, In that time what happens if you’re not well enough to be working … obviously the money has run out, but I wouldn’t want to resign my post and end up with that being detremental either
Liz, hope this helps to sort things out for you too, it’s a tough decision, and certainly not one I’m taking lightly, but I am of the mind that life is too short now.
Have just found this thread and am amazed because it is a problem I am struggling with at the moment. I had breast cancer four years ago and when my treatment finished I had no doubt that I wanted to go back to work- I had just been promoted and wanted to get on with it. I had been back at work almost exactly three years when I got another cancer - apparently completely unrelated to my breast cancer and just really bad luck. I went back to work six weeks ago after having six months off. The only thing that got me back to work at all was remembering how much I enjoyed it before I got this second cancer. I am 55 years old and have worked in the NHS for 29 years: I could retire and have a comfortable standard of living. At the moment I am just starting to recover my stamina, enthusiasm and confidence but I am no longer sure that I want to carry on; would I be better off spending my time doing things I enjoy with my husband because we none of us know how long we may have? It is really interesting to read what others think and gives me further food for thought while I am trying to make up my mind.
I too work in the NHS. After being diagnosed in 2006 I was off sick for 6 months, but when I returned I just couldn’t cope emotionally so after a few weeks, I went off sick again. Over the past 2 years I have tried to return to my job as a senior nurse/ward manager twice but failed each time.
I took advice about ill health retirement but was told by many people that it would be very difficult to get and could take a long time with probable refusal or deferrment or it could take many appeals with me having to see independent medical advisors.
I got a letter from my oncologist etc and support from occupational health. I also have mild lymphoedema to my chest wall and so got a letter from the lymphoedema specialist nurse.
I sent in my application last Wednesday and on Tuesday I received notification to say that I was successful. I could’t believe it, less than a week!!! Now I am just waiting for the paperwork to be sorted regarding my lump sum and payments. when i spoke to the pensions officer at work, she said that it was because I was so organised by getting the reports and letters. I feel so happy that Ido not have to continue with such a stressful job.
So, if that is what you want, don’t be put off.
Jenna x
That is great to hear that you were successful in getting your ill health retirement. I, too, have heard of many people who have had difficulty in getting their health problems recognised. In an ideal world no-one should have to struggle on in a job they find stressful and hard when they have had something like breast cancer. The NHS is better than many employers in this respect, I think.
I am still not sure what I want to do - it varies from day-to-day depending on what has been happening at work. I have got my pension predictions and one thing that keeps me going is the thought that if things do get too bad I would only ever have to do another three months before I can retire. I still think of all the nice things my husband and I could do together if I were not at work, but then I have a good day, or achieve something worthwhile, and think that I want to stay for a bit. One day I will make up my mind!
Anyway I am so pleased for you that you have got what you wanted and needed. Here’s to a very happy retirement!
Jenna, I am so glad to hear they didn’t fight you over your application, it gives me hope for a time in the future when I might follow this route too.
At the moment, the idea of returnong to a four hour commute, with two tiny children, a stressful clinical managers job and an on-call commitment is beyond scary!
I work for the NHS and have had my ill-health retirement request turned down, despite having bone mets and letters of support from my GP and oncologist (who said he would give ‘worst case scenarios’ to make my future look bleak). My other pension from Rothmans (the cigarette manufacturers) however paid out immediately, with no quibble. So in my opinion, the so called caring profession doesn’t actually care at all about me. If anyone has any tips about making an appeal I would be most grateful.