Contrary to popular belief, working past retirement age may actually extend your life, according to evidence from a study by oil firm Shell. The study found that employees who retired at 55 had slightly earlier mortality on average than those who continued working until 65.
The claim that early retirement prolongs life has been widely circulated, often citing a study attributed to Boeing that suggested employees retiring at 65 lived only 18 months longer. However, Boeing itself has denied the study's existence.
Actuary Dave Grimshaw warns that the data is complicated by factors such as ill health forcing early retirement, which can skew life expectancy figures. Those who retire early due to serious illness may bring down the average lifespan for that group, while those who choose to retire early for lifestyle reasons tend to be healthier and wealthier.
Additionally, people who retire at 55 may die before reaching 65, but those who retire at 65 have already survived to that age, distorting comparisons. Grimshaw suggests there is likely no causal connection between retirement age and lifespan.
While some professions do have lower life expectancy, the differences are not dramatic. According to the UK's Office for National Statistics, higher managerial and professional workers such as lawyers have a life expectancy of nearly 19 years at age 65, while labourers and cleaners have around 15 years. This gap may be more related to socio-economic class than job demands.
