About this Event
For many women now in their 60s, retirement was never imagined as a luxury — it was a milestone they had planned their lives around.
“I think because you always expected you'd be finishing work at 60, it's a heck of a shock.”
Changes to the State Pension age have shifted that expectation, often suddenly and with little room to adjust. For women in low‑paid work, the impact is not just about working a few extra years — it reshapes what later life looks like entirely.
Instead of a transition into retirement, many are facing a future of continued employment, often in insecure or physically demanding roles, while managing rising living costs and limited financial safety nets.
“So, I don't think I will ever retire...I just think with the cost of living and everything else I won't stop working...because if I'm at home we've got to keep warm haven't we? There are only so many jumpers you can put on and fleeces.”
These experiences highlight a growing divide in who can afford to retire, and who cannot. This session explores how pension changes intersect with gender, low pay, and inequality — and what it means for women ageing at work today.
Summary
This project explores how financial insecurity—particularly linked to pension changes and the rising cost of living—shapes the workplace wellbeing of ageing women in the UK. Drawing on qualitative research with women aged 60+, the project will highlight the lived experiences of working later in life in lower-paid roles, financial stress, and disrupted expectations of retirement.
Aligned with the ESRC Festival 2026 theme, “Money, Finance and the Cost of Living,” the project will engage the public through an interactive event and a co-created short video reel, amplifying the voices of ageing women and fostering dialogue around financial justice, policy, and wellbeing.
Event venue & nearby stays
HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, United Kingdom
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