Is £100k Enough to Retire? I'm Done With Work

We've all had those days. The ones where you sit at your desk thinking "I can't do this anymore." Maybe your boss was impossible, maybe the commute broke you, or maybe you just feel bone-tired of the grind.

After one particularly awful Wednesday, a client asked me: "Sarah, I've got about £100k saved. Could I just... stop?"

It's a question more women are asking. So let's look at the real numbers.

The Honest Answer: It Depends

£100k sounds like a lot of money. And it is. But as your only retirement pot? It's complicated.

The 4% Rule

Traditional retirement planning suggests withdrawing 4% of your pot annually. With £100k, that's:

• £4,000 per year
• £333 per month

That's not going to cover much, is it? The average UK household spends around £2,500 per month on essentials alone.

But Wait—There's More to Consider

The State Pension

If you've got 35 years of National Insurance contributions, you'll receive the full State Pension of approximately £11,500 per year from age 67. That changes things:

• State Pension: £958/month
• 4% from £100k: £333/month
• Total: £1,291/month

Still tight, but more manageable if you've got paid-off housing.

Your Actual Retirement Age

If you're 45 and want to retire now, £100k needs to last potentially 50+ years. If you're 60, it only needs to bridge 7 years until State Pension kicks in.

The gap matters hugely.

What £100k Could Actually Do

Rather than full retirement, £100k might enable:

Option 1: Career Downshift

• Work part-time (say, 3 days a week)
• Use savings to top up income
• Reduce stress while still earning

Option 2: Career Break

• Take 2-3 years off
• Retrain for something you actually enjoy
• Return to work refreshed

Option 3: Coast to Retirement

• Continue working but stop saving
• Let existing pension pots grow
• Spend your salary knowing retirement is sorted

The Real Questions to Ask

Before dramatically quitting (tempting as it is), consider:

1. What would you DO? Retirement without purpose can be lonely
2. Where would you live? Do you own your home outright?
3. What about healthcare? NHS is free, but dental and optical add up
4. Do you have other income sources? Rental property? Partner's income?

What I Tell My Clients

£100k alone isn't enough for traditional retirement. But it IS enough to:

• Buy yourself options
• Create breathing room
• Build towards something better

The woman who asked me that question? She didn't quit. Instead, she used her financial security to negotiate a 4-day week and start a side business. Two years later, she's happier than ever—and her pot has grown.

Your Action Plan

If you're feeling "done with work":

1. Calculate your real numbers - Use our tools to understand your situation
2. Explore your options - Full retirement isn't the only escape
3. Build your pot higher - Even an extra year of saving helps
4. Get professional advice - There may be options you haven't considered

Feeling trapped at work? Our Financial Health Check can show you where you really stand—and what's possible.