u/Nervous_Yard7034

M45 and recently told that my firm is making redundancies.

Last week we were informed of the terms for voluntary redundancy and these are the basic financials.

• 2 weeks pay for every year we've worked there (I'm on 15 so that would be 30 weeks.)
• PILON - so 3.months of gardening leave
• No restrictions on taking on freelance or consulting work for the company - normally there is a 4 month period where that isn't possible.

I'm currently on £50k a year, so the redundancy payment would be £28.5k + an extra £12.5k in PILON.

My situation is as follows:

• wife works full-time and earns roughly the same.
• 2 kids - aged 6 & 8. Sadly, only one grandparent alive and they live a long way away so feel like we're juggling a lot.
• Mortgage: £90k left. Paying £650 a month. No need to move.
• Approximately £90k in savings (S&S ISA)
• Pension around £110k

Job is/was fine. Not that interesting, but not totally boring. Bit of a desk jockey type job. If I want to, I can stay (role is up for redundancy, but others are in the cross hairs due to a product being withdrawn). However, not sure how much room for growth there is in role. Bit of a dead man's shoes scenario due to career moves, so likely to be 3-4 years before promotion. At the same time, role isn't that challenging, quite low stress and perks are good (reason I have stayed for 15 years). Industry is dying slowly (print & digital media based role) so could eek out for another 10 years or so, but limited opportunities out there.

I'll admit, I'm tempted to take redundancy and try something new due to lack of growth options. However, at 45 worried that this job is worth keeping and that there will be nothing out there.

Thoughts?

M45 and in a job that doesn't feel like it's going anywhere. At best, could eek out a few more years; at worst, redundancy looms ever closer.

Has anybody over 45 managed to retrain or move career into something better, or is it just this or the knackers yard?

Just saw a Go Fund Me has been set up to help the victims of an incident by someone who seems to have no connection to those affected.

It made me wonder what actually happens to the money. Do they have to give the money to the advertised recipient? Has anybody not received the money? Has anybody been convicted of fraud in these cases? And how prevalent are instances where people just run off with the cash, never to be seen again?

The interesting thing about the Go Fund Me I've seen is that the family hasn't been mentioned anywhere and probably won't have ongoing medical costs, so very opaque who would get the money and what it would be used for.

I see a lot of posts on here from people saying they've been unemployed for a year or two and I wondered if employment agencies were still a thing.

This question is purely because I'm ignorant. I haven't been without work for 14 years, but back then you'd go to a few agencies and would pick up bits and pieces of work. Quite often, those jobs could even turn into something semi-permanent.

Do they still exist? Do people use them? If so, how successful are they as an option?

Was informed yesterday that my role is up for redundancy. Current team of 6 being reduced to 3.

I've been there nearly 15 years so the payout should be quite good (£25k+). Work was ok, perks were great, and possibly best place I ever worked, but definitely not inspired by what I do.

I'm wondering whether to embrace the redundancy with open arms or worry about the future. Facts are as follows:

1. I'm 45m
2. Savings are ok. Should be able to keep me going for a year or two.
3. Pension isn't great, but could be worse (about £100k saved).
4. Only debt is a mortgage. £100k left. Currently paying £700 a.month.
5. There are freelance opportunities in my industry, though work is infrequent and poorly paid.
6. Wife works and earns enough to keep things on the road for a while.
7. In my industry, once you're out, you're typically out.
8. There are other jobs within the firm I could apply for, but the payout and free time are tempting.

So what would you do? Jump at the chance and seek pastures new or fight tooth and claw for one of those three jobs or an alternative within the firm?

And if you have been in a similar situation and took redundancy, how did it work out for you?

I'm 45 and currently working a job that is pretty uninspiring. Pay is ok (£48k + £4k bonus) and the perks are pretty good (Flexi time, WFH 3 days a week, office within walking distance, can pretty much do 9-5 without having to do extra) but I'm bored. Not to the point of tears, but bored. I've worked there for 10+ years and it's just not challenging. I could do it in my sleep (and often do).

My finances are pretty good at the moment and I know I could take a couple of years out to retrain. However, I'm also aware that I'm 45. If I stick it out for another 7-8 years, my finances would be pretty solid and I'd be able to work part-time until I'm 68.

So, in this situation, what would you choose? Roll the dice or stick?

Just took one of my irregular forays into the city centre. Every time I go in I seem to come away disappointed - hence the reason my trips are infrequent.

The issue for me is it just doesn't feel very user friendly. Here are my thoughts:

1. Too many roads. The city centre needs to be properly pedestrianised. Now I know King's Parade, Trinity Street,Sidney Street and Market Street are pedestrian zones, but the constant taxis and bicycles mean that everyone is just pushed onto narrow pavements. Pedestrianise the lot and you'll have a much nicer hopping experience.

2. The market. It feels a bit like nobody really knows what to do with the market and market square. It's not been well looked after and can look tatty. Also, it's taking away from somewhere that could be a brilliant communal space in the middle of town. I've personally always liked indoor markets. Why can't Cambridge have one of those? Could the Guildhall be a good venue?

3. Too much fast food. Really, can't that go elsewhere?

4. It's too big. We really don't need half the shops over by the Grafton and half in the proper city centre. I know the Grafton is going, but it really feels like that side of town is redundant.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. What are yours?

Hi there.

I'm 45. Currently on £48k a year. My wife earns about the same and we have a 16 year mortgage on the house, paying £670 a month.

At present I have 92k in ISAs - 40k in a cash ISA, the rest in a S&S ISA.

My pension is £108k. It's through employer and is held with Aviva. Everything is invested in an International tracker fund. Ideally, I'd like to get my pension in a stronger place and feel that £250k by 50 is a realistic target

Here's the conundrum.

My employer pension is paid via salary sacrifice and comes out before the money comes to me. This means that I'm not paying tax (20%) NI (8%) nor student loan (9%). They also pay 9% additional income into my pension.

At the moment, I'm paying 15% of my income into my pension as well as any bonus because of the tax saving. I'm taking home approximately £2.5k a month which meets my needs adequately.

However, I'm wondering if it is worth paying more of my salary into my pension and using the money in my ISA for day to day expenses. If I paid 45% of my income into my pension, I'd still have a take home of £1850 a month, and I could then cover any expenses with my ISA.

The hope would then be that by 50 I'd more than meet my £250k pension target and would still have £50-60k in my ISA.

Does this strategy make sense? Would I be doing something silly by drawing down the ISA and putting the money into a pension. What would be the benefit of keeping the money in my ISA instead and continuing with my current strategy?

I'm quite a keen europhile who believes the UK should rejoin the EU.

Whenever I see other supportive messages, they're normally along the lines of "leaving the EU has lost the UK 8% GDP. Rejoining is the path to prosperity."

Without wishing to get into the 8% GDP figure (it's hogwash) I always feel a bit sad because it's just reducing EU membership to economics and I always think the economic argument is the weakest pro-EU argument you could make.

I personally don't think being in or out of the EU would make that much difference to the UK economy. I think the nature of our economies means there is little to gain from the single market, and what gains could be found could also be made through treaties.

So, with that in mind, I wondered if anybody else supports rejoin regardless of the economics, or if you were to be told there would be no economic benefit, how that would have a baring on your feelings about rejoining the EU?

Britain has a population density of 285 people per km. England on its own is 450, which makes it the second most densely populated country in Europe and quite incredible when you consider there are 70 million people in Britain, 57 in England.

Looking around the South East especially, it feels like it's just too built up with town after town after town. A sprawl that just keeps going and going and going.

Now, a bit controversial, but considering how little of the country is actually productive and also the environmental reasons behind such a move, would it be great if Britain had half as many people?

Here are some benefits:

1. Improved ecological and environmental benefits
2. Quieter roads improving transport times
3. More homes - greater housing availability means people are more able to move to productive areas. Also, the European norm of house in the city for work and house in the hills/by the sea for holidays could be a step closer.
4. Less water stress
5. Improved food security.

I understand that there are costs, but I have to admit, I'm coming round to the idea of a UK of 35.million people and think it would be much better.

Note, this isn't an anti-immigration post. There aren't 35 million immigrants in the UK. half of Brits will have to leave too.

Something that has really been bugging me is the number of people who drive through amber lights.

The rule is that if it's unsafe do so, you can drive on, but if you can safely stop, you should stop.

Yesterday, I came to a set of lights. The lights went to amber, I stopped and the car behind me started beeping. I think it must have been because I stopped on amber.

I was also driving behind someone, the lights went to amber, we had plenty of time to stop, and they just went straight through the red, which had been red for two seconds before they reached the white line. I then caught up with them at the next set of lights, making their maneuver pointless as well as dangerous.

I know people want to rush, but the way people drive, I'm even questioning whether they know what they're supposed to do in the first place.

Edit: Reading some of the responses, you people frighten me.

I look around and see a lot of dissatisfaction. People angry about high immigration, police failings, death of the high street, youth unemployment, etc, etc.

Looking at a lot of these and you wonder why nobody is really doing anything about these. Immigration is a good example where people have never voted for higher immigration. Indeed, typically they've voted for parties promising to reduce it. So why hasn't anybody ever reduced it?

Well, you could argue about the ECHR, but that doesn't quite sit right. You could argue about corruption or ideology of some form, but that doesn't feel right either. What if it's just too expensive to police our borders? It feels like you need a pretty robust system to stop people entering the country and to return those already here. Maybe it's just cheaper to let them stay?

Once you just think *we can't afford it" a lot of government decisions make sense.

So, do you agree with this statement and, if so, why is no politician willing to make this point?

Feel I'm at a crossroads and not sure what steps to take.

I'm 45 years old. I've worked for the same employer for 14 years. During that time I've had three jobs, including one promotion about 10 years ago and am earning just under £50 - the top of my pay grade.

The main issue I have is that considering how long I've been at the company, I'm quite junior. I started with a group of about 15 other people, all of whom are at least one step ahead of me in seniority. Indeed, my role is what you'd expect to be in after 5 or 6 years. I've interviewed for numerous more senior roles, but never succeeded in getting one, and have therefore made a couple of sideways moves (probably a mistake as I'm just going back in at the bottom again).

I've never had a bad annual review, but none of them have been glittering. The fact I've never been given much responsibility makes me think I'm not trusted or valued as an employee, and - if I'm honest - I think my unwillingness to play the game has hampered me at times. Also, after 14 years, I'm not exactly an enthusiastic employee.

I think my options are as follows:

1. Accept that this career wasn't for me, so leave and retrain. It's quite appealing but not sure what's out there and, at my age, do I really fancy retraining and starting On £30k?
2. Just accept it is what it is and find a way to enjoy the work. I'm financially ok, so after another 10 years, I could easily cut my hours and go part time.
3. Move to a similar firm and hope that all the negativity is just because I've been at my company too long. A change could be good, but this may have to be a sideways move and some of the salaries on offer are awful and, due to location, would often come with commuting costs and/or a pay cut.

Thoughts?

Feel I'm at a crossroads and not sure what steps to take.

I'm 45 years old. I've worked for the same employer for 14 years. During that time I've had three jobs, including one promotion about 10 years ago and am earning just under £50 - the top of my pay grade.

The main issue I have is that considering how long I've been at the company, I'm quite junior. I started with a group of about 15 other people, all of whom are at least one step ahead of me in seniority. Indeed, my role is what you'd expect to be in after 5 or 6 years. I've interviewed for numerous more senior roles, but never succeeded in getting one, and have therefore made a couple of sideways moves (probably a mistake as I'm just going back in at the bottom again).

I've never had a bad annual review, but none of them have been glittering. The fact I've never been given much responsibility makes me think I'm not trusted or valued as an employee, and - if I'm honest - I think my unwillingness to play the game has hampered me at times. Also, after 14 years, I'm not exactly an enthusiastic employee.

I think my options are as follows:

1. Accept that this career wasn't for me, so leave and retrain. It's quite appealing but not sure what's out there and, at my age, do I really fancy retraining and starting On £30k?
2. Just accept it is what it is and find a way to enjoy the work. I'm financially ok, so after another 10 years, I could easily cut my hours and go part time.
3. Move to a similar firm and hope that all the negativity is just because I've been at my company too long. A change could be good, but this may have to be a sideways move and some of the salaries on offer are awful and, due to location, would often come with commuting costs and/or a pay cut.

Thoughts?

Hi all

Flying back to the UK out of Bologna tomorrow night (21.45 29th May). Just discovered there is a general strike on for public sector workers from 21.00 tonight (28th May) to 21.00 (29th May).

How will this affect services at the airport? Will this delay passports, security, etc? And if you were me, what time would you arrive?

As the question states. I've come to the conclusion that I want the UK to rejoin the EU. However, my main motive is for freedom and movement to return because I'd like my kids at least to have the opportunity to escape a country that feels like it's dying before our very eyes. I want them to leave and I think rejoining would make that easier.

I'll also be honest, I quite like the idea of selling up and moving away, taking my money with me.

Is this anyone else's motivation to support rejoin.?

I'm convinced everybody has got ruder since 2020.

I was talking to a colleague yesterday and somebody else walked past wanting to talk to him. Despite us being in a conversation, he just interrupted me and started talking to my colleague. No "excuse me" or "sorry to butt in". And it wasn't even about something important or work related, it was just small talk.

I've noticed this a lot recently. Just general rude and inconsiderate behaviour. It's like everyone is self obsessed and oblivious to others.

Is it a pandemic hangover with more people WFH and interacting with other less or is it a smartphone thing?

Just wondered if everyone else is finding the same thing.

I've worked for the same employer for 13 years.

Before the pandemic, it was a great place to work. The work was interesting, there was a good atmosphere in the office and it really felt like everyone was working hard to get things done.

Then the pandemic happened.

I admit, I was one of those lucky ones who kept working during that period, with the added bonus of doing it from home. And it seemed to go well. Everyone was working hard, and in many ways the camaraderie continued, especially with our international colleagues, who were in the same boat.

But then things started to change. People realised they could move miles away and keep their jobs. The employer realised they could reduce their footprint and cut overheads, and so more people took on remote only contracts, or at least WFH more.

And now, six years later, we're in a weird place. There's an office where people are supposed to attend 3 days a week but rarely do. It's 2/3rds empty and that shared experience has disappeared - we're just individuals slogging through our tasks, which seem to have become less interesting and more laborious u. Staff have left (often without you even knowing) and have been replaced with anonymous individuals (often in lower wages countries) who call into Teams meetings but never show their face and always seem clueless as they have no idea who to ask for help. New processes have been developed, all of which seem confusing and cumbersome, and all anyone ever seems to talk about is how AI can change everything without any real thought or instruction over how it can be used - often resulting in terrible user cases and a slightly unsatisfactory product.

Moral is low and the pay check is the only reason to keep going. Ultimately it all feels rubbish and pointless.

However, I can only talk about my company. Talking to friends, they often talk about how work isn't going well, but it's not something I often go into detail with them. So I do wonder if there is a universal sense of meh or whether people do still love their job and things are better now than back in 2019.

I'm M45 and I earn £48k a year doing white-collar office work that's interesting but not my passion. I'm contracted to do 35 hours a week and the demands of the job mean that I rarely ever exceed that.

I know the next step is management, but looking at the extra work, it just doesn't seem worthwhile. Yes, it'll be an extra £3-7k, but the responsibility means managers are often working into the evening. And their bosses are often worse.

I kind of assume that higher-salaried work often comes with longer hours. Is this the case and how much does it change by industry?