At the age of 50 I found myself redundant for the second time and knew I was never going to get another job that needed my set of skills and the salary I had been used to. I immediately took a job that entailed me working 50 hours a week with no benefits of pension or sickness scheme etc and for an hourly rate that was a few pence over minimum wage. I did it for 13 years until I could take retirement at 63 wherein I lived off a works pension and savings until my State Pension kicked in. The job I took involved being spat at, sworn at and either being attacked or having to physically restrain some of the most hateful dregs of humanity. But I would do it all again rather than take handout and benefit.