Time left versus money left: the question that changes your plan
The number everyone watches
Pension statements, calculators and adverts all ask the same question: is your pot big enough? It is a good question. But it is only half of one.
The number nobody shows you
On ONS figures for 2022 to 2024, a 55-year-old in the UK can expect about 15.8 more years in good health if they are a man and 16.9 if they are a woman. For many people, that means good health lasts to about 71 or 72, only a few years after a State Pension age of 67.
| Age now | Healthy years ahead, male | Healthy years ahead, female |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 19.1 | 20.2 |
| 55 | 15.8 | 16.9 |
| 60 | 12.8 | 13.9 |
These are averages across the whole UK, not predictions for any one person. But they make a point the pension pot never will: time is the one resource you cannot top up.
Money grows. Time doesn’t.
Money left in a pension can grow. Time does the opposite: every year you wait, there is one fewer healthy summer to spend. So the real question is not “have I got enough money?” but “what is the right balance between the money I have left and the time I have left?”
Putting a price on time
One way to make the trade concrete is to price it. On a £45,000 salary in England with a 5% pension contribution, dialling down by 20% of your hours, the equivalent of one day a week, costs about £510 a month in take-home pay on 2026 to 2027 rates. It also gives you back the equivalent of 52 working days a year.
So the question becomes personal: is a fifth of your working week worth about £510 a month to you? For some people, at some stages of life, it clearly is. Our part-time pay calculator works it out for your salary.
Three questions to ask yourself
- How many healthy summers might I have? Count them with the healthy years calculator.
- What does “enough” actually cost? Check against the Retirement Living Standards, not an abstract target.
- What would I do with a fifth of my week back? If the answer comes quickly, that tells you something.
None of this means quitting tomorrow. It means making the time side of the equation as visible as the money side, then deciding with both in view.
Questions people ask
What is healthy life expectancy at 55 in the UK?
On ONS figures for 2022 to 2024, about 15.8 years for men and 16.9 years for women, so good health lasts to around 71 or 72 on average.
How do I balance saving for retirement with enjoying life now?
Look at both your money and your likely healthy years. A gradual cut in working days can give you time back while you are healthy, at a cost you can measure in take-home pay.
Guidance, not advice. This article shares general information and opinion, not financial advice. For free, impartial help, visit MoneyHelper.
Sources: ONS: Healthy life expectancy, UK · GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds 2026 to 2027 · Retirement Living Standards
