It's funny though, isn't it, because it seems like more people than ever are taking early retirement...

I think I will be quite happy to carry on working rather than retire if I'm in good health and it means I can keep up a reasonable standard of living for longer. But at the moment, I don't think it's easy to do that. People are seen as "odd" if they work after retirement age, and more significantly, it can be very difficult to get a job if you're getting on that way, as my dad has been discovering, at nearly 60.