E45: The rise of micro-retirements with Ola Majekodunmi, Lauren Spearman, and Tom Carter
Release Date: 12/17/2025
BONUS EPISODE: “A life-changing diagnosis refocused me on my beneficiaries”
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer, David. He spent years quietly accumulating pension pots across various employers without paying them much attention. That all changed when an unexpected cancer diagnosis forced him to confront his finances head-on, and think hard about what would happen to the people he loves if he wasn’t around. We unpack the decisions David has navigated, from consolidating old pots and...
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BONUS EPISODE: What does the 2026/27 tax year mean for your finances?
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . In this bonus episode of The Pension Confident Podcast, we cover some of the key changes from the new 2026/27 tax year and what they could mean for you and your finances. Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, Maike Currie, as they unpack the changes impacting: the National Minimum and Living Wage; statutory sick, parental and bereavement pay; frozen earnings bands and savings limits; the State...
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E48: Are you ready for the ‘great wealth transfer’? With Niaz Azad, Annaliese Barber, and Dan Stean
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . Did you know that ? It’s being called one of the largest movements of wealth in British history. So are you ready for the ‘great wealth transfer’? Many Millennials are facing tough financial challenges - with lingering student loans, high rent or mortgage costs and expensive childcare. A wealth transfer could be transformative for this generation. But here’s the catch: without proper estate and financial planning,...
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BONUS EPISODE: “I switched my pension so it complies with my faith”
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer, Sanna. Like so many, she’s juggling family life, buying her first home, and trying to save for retirement - all at the same time. Since having her daughter and moving back in with family to save on rent, her pension savings have taken a back seat. We unpack the choices Sanna has faced - from rising living costs and childcare to finding faith-aligned financial products...
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E47: The ‘Singles Tax’ - how much is it costing you? With Bobby Seagull MBE, Emma Barnes, and Valentina Adaldo
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . . Here’s the issue: being single could be costing you more. The so-called ‘Singles Tax’ is real. Cohabiting couples pay less per person on everything from energy bills to hotel rooms. So if you’re single, or living alone, how much extra are you paying and what can you do about it? Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss the ‘Singles Tax’: Maths Teacher turned Broadcaster, MBE;...
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BONUS EPISODE: “I work as a handyman to top up my pension income”
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . In this bonus episode we hear from PensionBee customer, Tony, as he tells us his pension story. Now in his early sixties, Tony’s working part-time as a handyman to top up the income he’s receiving from his pension savings. With the help of pension pro, and VP Brand and Communications at PensionBee, Rachael Oku, we’ll unpack the tips you might want to take from Tony’s story. This episode offers especially useful...
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E46: How to bounce back from redundancy with Jimmy McLoughlin OBE, Eleanor Mills and Emma Ferenc-Bachelor
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . Where do you see yourself in five years? In a rapidly changing world of work, that’s becoming harder to answer. . With UK businesses feeling the squeeze, more workers will be forced to reconsider their career in the coming years. The combination of higher secondary Class 1 National Insurance contributions, increased National Minimum Wage, and is leading experts to forecast a rise in redundancies. Join our host, Philippa...
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BONUS EPISODE: “I stopped paying into my pension for 20 years”
The Pension Confident Podcast
BONUS EPISODE: “I stopped paying into my pension for 20 years” Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . On this special bonus episode, we’re doing something new! We’re going to hear from PensionBee customer, Tara-Jane, as she tells us her pension story in her own words. From starting early at 17 years old, to the impact of ignoring her pension for 20 years - it’s been a rollercoaster of retirement decisions. With the help of pension pro, and VP...
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S5 TRAILER: The Pension Confident Podcast
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . Happy New Year from all of us at . Every month, with expert guests, we dig into those money and pension questions that can feel so complicated. We just lay out the answers in simple, jargon-free language. There’ll also be bonus content throughout the year to keep you up to speed on everything from stock market trends to Downing Street decisions. Plus, we’ll be hearing from savers just like you. The first episode of 2026...
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BONUS EPISODE: The best from our Series 4 guests with Philippa Lamb and Lucy Greenwell
The Pension Confident Podcast
Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: . On this special bonus episode, we’re turning the mic around. We hear from our Host, Philippa Lamb, and Producer, Lucy Greenwell, as they discuss their favourite moments from Series 4 of The Pension Confident Podcast. We’ve had some brilliant guests - from divorce lawyers to behavioural experts, authors to financial influencers, along with some of our favourite people from PensionBee HQ. On this episode, we’ll hear...
info_outlineEnjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: podcast@pensionbee.com.
Imagine hitting pause on your career, not decades from now, but far sooner. What would you do with all that freedom? Today we’re talking about the rise of micro-retirements, or sabbaticals, as they’re better known.
It’s becoming increasingly popular with Gen Z as a bold way to take control of their time, blending career progression and meaningful rest. Unlike traditional retirement, which often feels like a distant milestone, micro-retirements offer the chance to hit pause regularly.
Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss the rise of micro-retirements:
- Founder of All Things Money, Ola Majekodunmi;
- Brand Consultant and Content Creator, Lauren Spearman; and
- Senior Performance Marketing Manager at PensionBee, Tom Carter.
Episode breakdown
02:50 How popular are micro-retirements?
04:50 Making the most of our health capital
08:40 Tips for saving towards two retirements
11:00 Are sabbaticals the cure for burnout?
14:42 Switching off during your sabbatical
18:35 Financial planning for your micro-retirement
Further reading, listening and watching
To learn more about taking a career break and saving for retirement, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:
- E26: Are you ready for your 100-year life? (Podcast)
- E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
- E38: How to shift careers (Podcast)
- How to catch up on pension payments (Blog)
- Is it time to find your new career? (Blog)
- 5 tips for starting a new job (Blog)
- 6 steps for making a successful career switch (Blog)
- 6 ways to put together your emergency fund (Blog)
Other useful resources
- Understanding Sabbaticals: Benefits, Planning, and Career Impact (Investopedia)
- FIRE Explained: Financial Independence, Retire Early – Rules, Types & Planning (Investopedia)
Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:
Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.
Follow All Things Money (@allthingsmoney_) on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
Follow Lauren Spearman (@spearmanlauren) on TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn.