5 of the Best Jobs to Consider During Retirement

So you're thinking about going back to work — or at least dipping your toes back in. Maybe retirement wasn't quite what you expected. Maybe the cost of living had other plans. Or maybe you just miss having somewhere to be on a Wednesday morning.

Whatever your reason, the good news is that you're not alone. With 2.8 million UK retirees already back in some form of employment, the question isn't whether there's a place for experienced professionals in the workforce — it's which roles make the most sense for you.

We've pulled together five sectors that consistently offer part-time, flexible, and genuinely rewarding work for people coming back from retirement. These aren't filler jobs. They're roles where your experience is the qualification.

Healthcare & NHS Roles

The NHS is one of the largest employers of part-time workers in the UK, and it's one of the most welcoming to returners. Patient Experience Coordinators, admin support, reception, and community health roles all benefit enormously from people who bring patience, empathy, and life experience.

The NHS has dedicated return-to-work programmes in some trusts, and many positions are specifically designed around 16–24 hour weeks. You don't need to be a nurse or doctor — the vast majority of NHS roles are non-clinical.

£12-£15/h Typical          16-24hrs/week

Charity & Non-Profit Work

Charities like Age UK, British Red Cross, Barnardos, and hundreds of smaller local organisations are always looking for experienced people to fill coordinator, befriending, and community support roles. These positions are deeply rewarding — you're making a visible difference, often working with people in your own community.

Many charity roles are part-time by design. Volunteer Manager, Telephone Befriending Coordinator, and Community Engagement Officer are common titles, often available at 18–24 hours per week with some remote flexibility.

£18,000 - £27,000pa          18–24 hrs/week          Often remote-friendly

Council & local government

Libraries, leisure centres, planning departments, community services — local councils offer a breadth of part-time work that few sectors can match. Library Assistant roles in particular are popular with returners: they combine community interaction with manageable hours and typically come with good public sector benefits.

Council roles tend to be stable, well-structured, and located close to where you live. They also come with local government pension schemes, which remain among the best in the country.

£12–£14/hr typical          12–20 hrs/week          Local government pension

Retail & Customer Service

Before you dismiss this one — hear us out. Retailers like John Lewis, Waitrose, M&S, and B&Q actively value older staff. They know that experienced people bring reliability, product knowledge, and the kind of customer rapport that no training programme can replicate.

John Lewis Partners, for example, operates a flexible shift system where you can choose hours that work around your life. Personal Shopping Advisor, Customer Service Desk, and in-store specialist roles all draw on skills you already have. Revelio Labs data shows that customer-facing and sales roles are among those where older workers are increasingly overrepresented — and for good reason

£12–£14.80/hr typical          Flexible shifts          Staff discounts & benefits

Admin, teaching & education support

Schools, colleges, and universities need experienced people in roles that don't require a teaching qualification — exam invigilators, administrative assistants, teaching assistants, and office managers are all commonly part-time and suit people with organisational skills and a calm temperament.

These roles tend to follow term-time schedules, giving you built-in time off during holidays. If you have subject expertise, tutoring — either privately or through organisations — can be particularly flexible and rewarding.

£11–£14/hr typical          Term-time only options          School holidays off

A few things to keep in mind

Pension implications: If you've already started drawing from a defined contribution pension, returning to work and continuing to contribute could trigger the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA), which limits further pension contributions to £10,000 per year. The State Pension is not affected by returning to work — you can claim it and earn simultaneously with no cap on earnings.

Tax: Your State Pension counts as taxable income. If combined with earnings from a new role, you might move into a higher tax band. It's worth checking with HMRC or a tax advisor before starting.

Benefits: Some means-tested benefits could be affected by returning to work. Check with Citizens Advice or the gov.uk benefits calculator if this applies to you.