Hello my mother is 55 next year and looking at the availability of an early retirement. She works for the NHS and has the option to gain access to her NHS pension at 55, she has another pension coming from a previous employer at 60 and obviously the state pension at 65?. Now my query is she also has my little brother under her care, he is 9 years of age and i would like to know what benefits she has available to her in her situation, because from what i can ascertain because my little brother is over 5 years of age she is not eligible for income support and must go on job seekers? is this correct? how can she go on jobseekers obviously to seek a job if she is registered as retired? any help is appreciated. Thanks

Of course a retired person is available for work if they want to be.

Lots of people continue working after they have retired from one job. You are only retired permanently if you chose to be. Being retired is not the same as being eligible for your state pension, in which case you cannot claim JSA although you can, if you chose, continue to work.

If she leaves her job voluntarily she may not be eligible for JSA. Enquire at the DHSS

She is not technically retired until she reaches her 60s. I believe in her case 67. if she leaves her job she won't get JSA for 6 months as she has not retired but voluntarily left her job.

She needs to keep working, maybe she can go part time.

UK

Greywolf is right - if she voluntarily quits work, she'll only have her private pension.

And I doubt she'll get the state pension at 65. I won't get mine until I'm nearly 67!

What other benefits she'd get depends on what savings she has.

You can't get JSA unless you are "available for work". A retired person is not "available for work". But get her to visit Citizens Advice Bureau. It's free and they are on your side. There may be other benefits she would be eligible for.

she shouldn't be retiring if she has a child to support and 55 is way too young to retire