Best book I’ve read on retirement in the UK

I was delighted to find that Jonquil’s book goes far beyond the books I’ve read on retirement so far. It’s full of useful and practical advice for people planning to retire in the UK.

Starting with working out how much money you’ll need to inform savings through your working life Jonquil goes on to cover investing to make your money work for you, pensions, benefits, tax, ways to save money, and releasing money from your home by downsizing.

The book then looks at what you can do with your retirement from hobbies to paid work and volunteering to share your knowledge and skills with others. There are whole chapters on the health aspects you need to consider, holidays in retirement, caring for elderly parents and even on getting your affairs into order so you can get on with enjoying your well earned retirement.

There is also a really useful separate Directory of useful contacts you can download. This amounts to 46 pages of organisations and links arranged in the same order as the book contents.

The book ticked all the right boxes for me by talking about finances in the UK, looking at some of the many things you can do with your well earned retirement time, through to health aspects. All in all it’s the all round best book I’ve read on retirement so far, and I’ve read a few. Whether you’re still planning ahead for your retirement, about to retire or already retired I would thoroughly recommend reading this book.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

The Good Retirement Guide 2023 by Jonquil Lowe is a highly informative and practical guide for anyone who is preparing for retirement. This book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the financial landscape for retirees, providing detailed advice on investments, pensions, tax, and other key issues.

One of the strengths of this guide is its clear and accessible writing style. Lowe has a talent for breaking down complex financial concepts into easy-to-understand terms, making this book a valuable resource for readers of all levels. The practical advice offered in the guide is also particularly useful, with plenty of concrete tips and strategies for saving effectively and managing your finances in retirement.

Overall, I found The Good Retirement Guide 2023 to be a very useful and informative read. With its up-to-date information on inflation, cost of living, and other financial trends affecting retirees, it offers valuable insights into the current economic climate and how to prepare for the future.

The Good Retirement Guide 2023 gives plenty of suggestions to plan your retirement, the most important? #makeaplan ! Keep in mind this book is based on UK principles - many of which are not transferable to other countries. I suggest noting that on the cover. I loved the table of contents, one can jump to what topic they are interested in - no need to read from cover to cover. Don’t wait until you are at retirement age - This book can help take control of your financial future.

Very useful, good up to date information and everything you need in one place. Can refer to chapters or read from start to finish. Gives to a starting place to go and seek further information if you need to. Thank you #NetGalley for the e-book to review.

A very helpful and timely guide to retirement. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providinhlg me with this ARC.

The first thing that I want to note about this title is that it is geared toward British readers. For that reason, some of the specifics may not be as useful for those from other countries. However, that said, there are many good things to think about here and with a bit of research, readers can most likely find similar resources in their own countries.

There are a number of chapters that have to do with finances, including budgeting, pensions, tax and more. I like that there other sections that look at options for life as a retiree; for example, there are sections on leisure activities including adult education, the arts, dance, museums and more. There are also chapters on starting a business and even one on looking for paid work. In addition, there is a detailed section on health.

This is a book that includes a lot. Readers can tackle it by going straight through or by focusing on areas of interest.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.


Pub date: 03 January 2023

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kogan Page Ltd for this title. All opinions are my own.

I have found previous years of this guide immensely helpful and this year's version is the similarly essential. Lots to take on board and lots of practical advice. Updated for 2023.

An excellent guide to retirement which contains details that people need in an updated form. For example the effect of inflation is addressed. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book