Jon Ellis, 54, retired at the age of 52 alongside his wife Jo after having a “eureka moment”, with the couple having a combined pension pot of £1.25m.
Jon, who had a variety of different jobs but most recently with Amazon Logistics, said: “Jo came up with the logic that if we lived to roughly the same age as my parents, and we spent at roughly the same rate, we could afford to live without working, and not run out of money.
“Over the next year we worked through the numbers, and also paid for a financial review with a local advisor to validate our assumptions. The plan was slightly changed by Covid, which delayed our actual decision but we ‘hit the button’ about 3 years ago.”
How much parents could save from new school uniform rules
A new law coming into force in September means parents in England will save money by having to buy fewer branded items of school uniform.
What does the new law mean?
From September, uniforms will be limited to three items with a school logo, like a blazer, jumper or sportswear – plus a tie for secondary schools.
The government says the changes will save some families “up to £50 per child”.
How will the law be enforced?
Who is affected?
Around 23 per cent of secondary schools will have to change their uniform lists by September.
How will it be enforced?
The education secretary has legal powers to direct schools to comply.
The rest of the UK
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not have a cap on uniform items, but are encoureged to keep uniforms costs minimal.
How England could eliminate hepatitis C
England is “on the cusp” of becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, health officials have said.
What have the health officials said?
Global health leaders have set out plans to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.
NHS England said the nation is one of a handful of countries globally to have already exceeded the World Health Organisation benchmark of treating 80 per cent of all known cases.
It said that deaths from the virus have reduced by 36 per cent in the last 10 years.
What is hepatitis?
- Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood infected with the virus.
- Many people have no symptoms but if it is not treated it can cause serious, and potentially life-threatening, liver damage.
- A treatment course of antiviral drugs for eight to 12 weeks cures more than 95 per cent of cases.
- NHS England said that since 2015, more than 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C.
The expert view
With C curable in more than nine out of 10 cases, we are committed to finding and treating everyone who needs support and would urge those at greater risk to come forward by ordering a free and confidential home-testing kit online.
Professor Frankie Swords, NHS national medical director
Why August is the worst month for drink driving
August is the worst month of the year for drink-drive crashes as summer events create “more opportunities” to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, according to new research.
What does the research show?
RAC analysis found an average of 721 people were injured or killed in drink-drive crashes in August between 2014 and 2024.
Before July, there was an average 704 casualties over the 11-year period.
December, which is often associated with drink driving, had an average of 663 casualties.
The expert view
Drink- is often seen more of a Christmas issue, but our shows collisions involving drivers who have consumed illegal levels of alcohol are actually far more common during the summer.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams
Williams added that warmer weather, longer evenings and “festivals and barbecues” create “opportunities and temptation” for people to drink and then get behind the wheel.
5 min read
2 min read
Burnham to scrap Blair-era rule in ‘crackdown’ on new betting and vape shops
Andy Burnham has pledged to give councils more powers to block new bookmakers and vape shops in a bid to save Britain’s “hollowed-out high streets”.
The PM intends to scrap the “aim to permit” rule, which limits the ability of local authorities to prevent betting shops and 24-hour slot machine venues opening in their area.
Shake-up expected start of next year
- Planning permission will also be required for outlets selling e-cigarettes as part of efforts to give communities a greater say under the proposals.
- The formal definition of a vape shop will be tightened to stop businesses side-stepping the new rules by claiming to be a “convenience store or a retailer”.
- Adult gaming centres offering up to 24 hours of access will also require planning permission under the shake-up.
4 min read
What are closure orders?
Under proposals first announced by Sir Keir Starmer’s government, police will also be able to shut down “dodgy” barbers, vape shops and nail salons for up to a year.
The maximum length of so-called “closure orders” will be extended from six months to 12, to give officers more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime.
2 min read
3 min read
Crackdown on ‘garish’ signs
- Officials said the Government would also set clearer expectations for the design of shop fronts, to pre-empt complaints about “garish neon signs”.
- It will publish “practical guidance” for councils on how to make town centres more attractive, they said.
The “aim to permit” policy was introduced when Sir Tony Blair’s Labour government, in which Burnham was a minister, liberalised gambling laws in 2005.
Are you having as much sex as everyone else?
It’s natural for libido to wax and wane due to life events, dating status or hormonal changes.
And it can be hard to say what a “normal” sexual frequency is. But research and case studies give us a rough idea.
The statistics
When it happens
61%
A 2023 survey concluded that almost two thirds (61 per cent) of us wait until night-time to have sex.
Only 14 per cent opt to get busy in the early evening, and 10 per cent in the morning.
Research from 2019 suggests that the average number of times British live-in or married couples have sex per month is three.
Are Gen Z having less sex than older people?
I see my partner on the weekends and have sex with others in the week.
Leanne, a 27-year-old influencer from Bristol has sex three or four times a week, but only sees her long-distance partner on the weekends. They have agreed they can both sleep with other people during the week.
35-year-old Rebecca usually sleeps with her partner once or twice per week due to not having much child-free time.
Clare, 32, says her job is busy and she has to schedule sex with her partner on weekends, or some afternoons twice a month. “Occasionally this slips and I do worry that it makes us not as connected,” she says.
I haven’t had the issue of my sex life drying up with menopause. I’m more aroused now.
I’ve been married for 15 years. I love my husband, but our sex life is non-existent, and has been for about five years.
I’m not really motivated to seek out partners; I vaguely like the idea of it but not enough to take any action.
I’ve been married for 20 years and sex has become something of a rarity. We maybe have sex once a week on a Sunday morning as we’re both relaxed and I can take Viagra late on Saturday night – without it, I can’t perform.
JACK, 63, OFFICE WORKER, KENT
The seven rules that could save your marriage
Keep your sense of self
I did what I thought I was supposed to do and forgot my needs and wants. I think it’s really important that you’re an individual and not just a person who is married.
KATIE STRATFORD*, A 55-YEAR-OLD MUM OF TWO, WHO DIVORCED ATER 19 YEARS
Seven rules to save your marriage
The small things
Small things, like being brought a cup of tea or saying thank you, make a big difference.
Karen Deulofeu, who ended her six-year marriage, believes all couples should seek support, even before they think they need it.
Listen properly by repeating what you have heard and ask if you’ve got that right.
Don’t lose communication
People don’t talk about the deep issues; nobody else is going to do it for you. You don’t want to ask questions because it might rock the boat…you have to keep talking, and talk about what it is that you want within the relationship to keep going forward.
KATIE STRATFORD
Seven rules to save your marriage
Remember that things change
“What you see on social media and what friends say is quite often the nice version. Everything is a phase,” says Deulofeu.
Look at yourself first
“Focus on what’s in your control and what you can do differently, rather than the other person or a situation that you can’t control. Invest in understanding yourself,” she adds.
There are things that all mid-life men should know about keeping their hearts healthy.
From eating more purple fruit to avoiding large bowls of pasta, consultant cardiologist Dr Zoe Astroulakis [below] shares her simple lifestyle habits she wishes her patients would take on board.
Positive changes to make
Swap ‘bad’ fats for healthy ones
You don’t need to eat a fat-free diet; the key is to reduce your saturated fat. Reduce your dairy and swap your red meat for lean meat such as chicken and oily fish.
Control your portions
You don’t need more carbohydrates in a meal than you can fit in your hand. Enormous plates of pasta can cause blood sugar spikes, which can lead to health problems.
Positive changes to make
Look for purple
Blueberries, black grapes and aubergines are great for boosting “good” cholesterol.
Have oats
Porridge is one of the healthiest breakfast options because it’s full of soluble fibre.
Stop taking cocaine
It can provoke a massive heart attack, even in younger people who don’t have existing artery problems.
Stay below the alcohol limit
- The NHS guidelines of 14 units per week is still more than 1,000 additional calories.
- The safest level to aim for is zero.
- If you’re drinking, make sure you have some alcohol-free days each week and space it out.
5 min read
Positive changes to make
Do cardio too
Don’t only focus on lifting weights. It might make you look toned, but it says nothing about the health of your heart.
Check your levels
You can get free blood pressure checks in many pharmacies or you can buy a monitor for around £30 to use at home.
Avoid night shifts
It disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm and can lead to increased cholesterol.
A sign to look out for
A beer belly is a sign you need to make urgent changes
It’s usually a sign you’re drinking too much. By the time your belly starts to bulge, it’s a sign that you’re consuming excess calories and storing too much fat internally.
3 min read
Want a new career but worried it’s too late?
Mid-life is not too late to start again, says experienced recruiter Elizabeth Willetts [below].
Here, Willetts shares the best jobs to switch to during midlife if you want a change – without sacrificing pay.
Changing careers in your fifties
Mid-life career pivots can lead to higher earnings.
7.4%
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers aged 45 to 54 who voluntarily pivot jobs see an average wage growth of 7.4 per cent.
3.5%
And those aged 55 to 64 still see a 3.5 per
cent increase.
The AARP Global Employee Survey also found that over half of workers who changed jobs voluntarily experienced improvements in work flexibility and mental health.
So what job options are there?
Virtual assistant
As a virtual assistant your workload will be very varied and it could be anything from tidying inboxes, booking travel, sending invoices or updating spreadsheets.
You can start out earning around £20 to £35 an hour, but it can scale into agency work, launch support or even project management. Some earn very well.
What it involves
You will source, screen and interview candidates to match them with the right job roles.
Who it’s for
You don’t need any qualifications but it’s suited to communicators and commercially-minded people.
The pay
The salary van vary from £25 to £50k, but you can earn around £100k depending on commission.
Jobs to switch to in your fifties
Estate agent
It offers flexible hours and weekend staff can earn £15 per hour.
This form of coaching for businesses could earn around £250 to £1,000 per day.
In the lower end, a sales rep can make £30k and on the higher end £50-60k, plus commission.
Why coaching is a good option
Coaching is incredibly varied and can be anything from career coaching, to confidence and leadership coaching.
- As it is an unregulated industry, you don’t need qualifications but the more reputable option is the International Coaching Federation.
- It’s a great career option for older people because clients genuinely value your wealth of life experience.
- It’s flexible, scalable, and you can start doing it part-time alongside another role.
- It could make you anything from £200 an hour, all the way up to £500 p/h+.
This can be across HR, operations, marketing, finance, people strategy or project management, as it’s varied.
Price on value, not hours – if your advice saves a client £200k, charging £150 an hour undersells what you’re worth.
Jo is older than Jon and so although rules say you cannot draw out of a private pension before the age of 55, they draw £40,000 annually from her plan – plus they are taking money from their ISAs, of which they have £150,000 saved each, whilst Jon has income from renting out his annex.
He said: “Jo started her pension at 19 when working for her parents’ business, I started around 25 when I first started a ‘proper job’ after university. We generally put in the typical matched company contributions of 3 per cent plus the occasional additional contributions.”
Very early on, Jon took an option to opt out of SERPs – the state earnings related pension scheme (also known as the additional state pension) – and had the contributions paid into his private pension.
SERPs was replaced by the state second pension, which ran until 2016.
Jon said: “I did this on the basis that I thought I’d be better at managing my own money and investments than leaving it to the government.
“Whenever my wife and I changed jobs, we typically closed our old company schemes and transferred them into our personal pensions so we always had good visibility of their progress. Mid-career, I was also a pension trustee for a defined benefit scheme, and I learned a lot about general investing and returns.”
The couple prioritised paying off their mortgage and achieved this when Jon was 48.
They took in a lodger in their spare room to help pay off their mortgage quicker but also allowed them to qualify for additional allowance under the ‘Rent a Room scheme’, which lets you earn up to £7,500 per year tax-free.
They rented it out for £350 a month and also now currently rent out their annex to a family member for £650 per month.
Jon said: “Other ways we saved was not wasting money. Second-hand cars, and not falling for the latest technology or branded fashions. Whilst I’d say we were relatively frugal in many ways, we were not extreme savers and did still enjoy ourselves.”
The couple enjoy travelling and have five to six holidays a year. They are aiming to do the “big travel” holidays while they are still younger.
“One of our first trips was to visit my brother’s family in Australia, via Bali. Where our typical holidays used to be two weeks in the sun in Europe, we have since done several trips to the Caribbean, the Maldives, South Africa and Japan.”
Later this year, the couple have a Mediterranean cruise before visiting Australia and New Zealand over Christmas.
“We are also able to fly business class, which is a true luxury on longer trips. Without the ties of work, we have also been able to support our local community and volunteer with a charitable trust as well as spending more time with friends and family,” Jon said.
Jon released a book on personal finance and how he was able to retire early.
“I’ve also started giving talks at my local school to help students understand money, and their long-term ideas about saving an investing.”
‘Everything feels at a more comfortable pace now’
Susan Black, 61, says she has been able to “slow right down” since retiring at 59 – and calls it the best decision she has ever made.
Susan, from Edinburgh, retired eight years before she will receive her state pension after working in financial services for over three decades years.
Her savings are made up of a final salary pension – which she transferred into a self-invested personal pension (Sipp) in 2017 – and a defined-contribution (DC) workplace pension.
There are highly considerable risks in transferring a final salary pension – which guarantees an income for life in retirement – as it can drop in value, and you take on investment risk, so it is important to seek financial advice before making any decisions.
And if you want to move one into a DC pension or Sipp – an invested pot of money earmarked for retirement – if it’s over £30,000, by law, you must seek out a regulated financial adviser.
Susan said: “Before I transferred my final salary pension, I never even thought about my pension. However, when I joined my DC scheme, the employer matched contributions.
“They matched half a per cent for every per cent you put in so I was putting in the maximum.”
Susan’s original plan was to retire at 55 but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and she decided to continue working through lockdown.
“At that point my expenditure went right down so I was putting in 30 per cent of my salary into my pension,” she explained.
Susan retired at 59 and now draws down the same amount of money she was taking home when working – amounting to £2,500 a month – which covers her son’s rent at university, paying for her dogs as well as holidays and weekends away.
She said: “I see people sometimes say they need to take home £8,000 a month in income in retirement and I think – what?!”
She said since retiring her stress levels have reduced drastically and she has been able to lose weight.
“I had time to go to the gym more, started cooking properly and not eat the kind of rubbish you grab when you’re in a hurry,” Susan said.
She said when she was working, she would do everything at “a million miles an hour” but now “everything feels at a more comfortable pace”.
Susan says her monthly income allows her to go to the theatre once a month, go to gigs and go for weekends away in her van.
“I don’t own a fancy car, don’t eat out an awful lot, I don’t go to the pub a lot, but I feel that I live a fairly good life,” she added.
Retiring has also allowed Susan to work within her local community.
She said: “I’ve just started volunteering on a canal boat in Edinburgh which mainly run trips for charities to give people a couple of hours out on the canal.”
Susan is also a carer for her elderly mum and she has joined a charity supporting carers that puts on workshops.
“I’ve been to art classes and done felting. I’ve been on courses to learn about dementia to learn how to deal with my mum’s illness,” she said.