Retiring in difficult circumstances

Not everyone is fortunate enough to retire at a time entirely of their own choosing. You may find that you have to retire earlier than you planned because of circumstances beyond your control.

People often retire not of their choosing but due to difficult circumstances such as:

Illness
Redundancy
Bereavement

If you have an Aviva pension plan and you find yourself in this position, give us a call on 0800 533 5195. We’ll send you an information pack, an up-to-date valuation of your pension fund and some quotes giving you an idea of the level of income you could get with our annuity. All of this will give you some firm facts to think about before you make your decision. If you don't have an Aviva pension plan speak to your pension provider or your financial adviser. If you don't have an adviser, you can visit www.unbiased.co.uk.

Retirement income calculator

See how much income you could get from your pension fund.

Calculate retirement income

Ill health

Even the best laid plans can come unstuck. You may find that you have to retire earlier than you planned because you are ill.

If you’re retiring due to ill health, you may have more things to consider as you make your decision. You may also find that you could get a higher income during your retirement. Read more about retiring due to ill health.

Redundancy

If you are made redundant and you're of an age where you could retire, it may make sense to use your pension fund to get an income. Read more about retiring due to redundancy.

Bereavement

Losing a loved one is difficult and nearly always makes those that are left behind think about their own lives. If you have lost a partner, you may receive an income from their pension plan. It may be that this prompts you to think about retiring yourself.

Read more about retiring due to bereavement.

Related FAQs

I've been made redundant. Can I release money from my pension fund?: You can only use your pension fund to provide an income in your retirement. You generally can't release it for any other purpose. This means that you usually can't release any money from your pension fund if you are below the earliest retirement age for your pension scheme. If you are over the earliest retirement age, you may be able to take your retirement benefits and use your pension fund to provide an income.

Read all FAQs