Meet the ‘unretirees’ who quit work and then went back

Mary Cambray, a 59-year-old woman from Shropshire, is one of a growing group known as “unretirees”, people who step away from work, only to find themselves returning to the workforce later. At 51, Cambray sold her successful estate agency business and thought she had achieved a dream retirement. However, just six months into her time off, she realized she wasn’t ready to stop working. “Retirement was not going to be enough for me,” she explained. In 2021, she enrolled in teacher training through Now Teach, an organization that helps individuals transition into education. Four years later, she is teaching history in the classroom, using her life experiences to enrich her lessons. The phenomenon of unretirement is gaining traction, according to research by Standard Life, which found that one in six retirees has either returned to work or is contemplating doing so. Data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) shows that the percentage of people aged over 65 with earnings from employment increased to 16 percent in 2025, up from 14 percent three years prior. Financial insecurity is a major factor driving some retirees back into the job market. A third of retirees reported that their quality of life is worse than before they stopped working. This trend is exacerbated by the findings of a report from The Centre for Ageing Better, which revealed that nearly 1.8 million people in England, more than one in four, are financially insecure, with projections indicating the number will surpass two million within a decade. Dr. Andrea Barry, deputy director for work at the Centre for Ageing Better, highlighted that women are especially vulnerable to financial strain during retirement. Often, they have fewer pension savings than men, making them more likely to return to work when their income from a former spouse disappears. “If a relationship breaks down in their 50s, and they suddenly don’t have that second income, women find themselves needing to go back into work with no other reason than that,” she noted. Beyond financial concerns, loneliness and social isolation also play a role. A quarter of unretirees cited feeling disconnected from others when not working. The traditional concept of retirement, a set date, a fixed monthly income, and long periods of leisure, is rapidly evolving. Barry emphasized that the idea of what retirement entails has shifted dramatically in recent years. More people are working into their 70s and even 80s, with a labor market shift allowing individuals to move in and out of work throughout later life. “There’s been a labour market creep,” she said. “People continue to work, then take breaks, and come back again.” This change is evident in the case of Harpinder Walia, a man in his 60s who spent four decades in the international construction industry. Instead of retiring, he chose to retrain as a maths teacher. Originally from India and now residing in Essex, Walia believes his decision was the right one. “If you’ve got the energy in you, you’ve got to keep going, otherwise it’s all downhill from there,” he said. He has always enjoyed mathematics and found that teacher training gave him the opportunity to pursue his passion. His new career brings him immense satisfaction, and he feels confident that his choice to avoid retirement was wise.