Friday 11th July 2025

The human side of financial planning

Edmund Greaves chats with planner Petra Spirkova about why good financial advice is about more…

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Emma Leaven and the apprentice retiree!

This cartoon is part of a new series of graphic strips by Steve Bee, author of the Pension Guru cartoons. Join Emma and her family as they muddle through life puzzling over any-and-all things personal finance. 

Steve Bee

Mouthy Blogger

Cartoonist, public speaker and pension expert. Not ideal, but someone had to do it.

23 Comments

  1. How many women have a degree on here you can not get an apprentice if you have, or have been sponsored previously. It rules me out?? Now what

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  3. How very true and to the point that have to work till 66 but those in power have their pension ring fenced so they haven’t lost six years of theirs

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  6. At least this made me laugh, unlike the MP who came out with that little gem. From a 62 year old still working xxx

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  10. Steve – very succinctly put!! I’m 63 and going on an Employability Course next week, by courtesy of the taxpayer, taking tests in English & Maths!!! Ye gods, how did it come to this? As a Engineering / Electronics designer, perhaps they’ll put me back into an apprenticeship whereby I can sweep floors?

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  11. I’m having this conversation with my daughter right now (l’m 62). I’m thinking maybe brick laying could be for me!!!!!

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  13. Thanks for highlighting the pathetic pension in this Country. I am livid that I have to wait 6 years for my State Pension. This Gov wants us all to drop dead before they have to pay out, the crafty gits.

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  15. I am 61 years of age and disgusted that, after a lifetime of expecting to retire at 60, the Government whips this away too late for me to make up six year’s of pension to compensate. At the moment, I’ll get my State Pension at 66, but who can tell if this will change further before I get there!

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  18. Apprenticeships at the age of 60 + Really? . We have more life knowledge than most of those who have come up with this bright idea. Why not turn it around and use our skill with a proper wage to teach youngsters. I have already earned 38 full NI years .But been in the work place since the age of 14,even while raising 4 children I continued to work .So why do i still have to wait until February 2025, but one other thing, I can’t get my pension until September 2025 .that means I still have to work another 7 months past my pension date? Confused. Com

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  20. Love it too! Thanks for your support
    Still waiting to be put on my NVQ in Care at 60? Requirement of the new job, expect to be waiting for quite some time……

    Just finished four 12 hour shifts in a row in a care home that has two floors, stairs are a killer. Previously had well paid jobs ( have degree). This is the only work I could get and many women are in the same boat. I have kept myself in good shape so at 60 I can just about manage this, but hips and knees are starting to go after doing this job, spine twinging for a while so I will end up costing the NHS big time but I don’t expect the knuckle heads in government had thought of that. circa £5500 per operation, then there is the after care costs. It would be cheaper to give us our pensions.

    ASP

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  21. Thanks for this cartoon, all the best campaigns need a cartoon slant to go down in history. The whole thing is absurd, we need justice.

    Reply

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