I’VE always been in two minds about retirement. Is it when you finally enjoy life away from the stresses of work or is it enforced time away from something you enjoy?

Yes, I know that many people simply cannot afford to retire and may face an older age with money worries. And that, for others, retirement is the longed for state to which they’re justly entitled after a lifetime of work.

Personally, I’ve never wanted to stop working completely simply because I like doing my job, it still offers new challenges and new people. So, when I was in my late 50s 11 years ago, instead of retiring, I took voluntary redundancy and started working for myself.

I was lucky. I admit that this was a choice and many people don’t have that. But, as it happens, I’m far from being alone in still wanting to work – and, apparently, not only is this trend increasing but it turns out I’m just a youngster in the working stakes.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of workers in their 80s and 90s has doubled in the past five years. More than 42,000 octagenarians and nonagenarians are in employment compared to 21,000 five years ago.

Most of these will be part-time jobs but others have launched their own businesses or stayed on as directors and advisers in original jobs.

Former pensions’ minister Baroness Altmann also says that this is the way forward and that “ a social revolution is happening.”

As a result, people are becoming healthier and fitter from working longer and that, if you’re still working in your 80s, it’s probably because you want to.

When many people retire they can suffer a loss of identity and status, not to mention the social interaction with work colleagues and all the shared workplace experiences. In other words, they don’t know who they are.

Work gives them an identity, a reason to get up in the morning, approbation and status, not to mention extra cash.

I fully admit that there are plenty of times I’ve envied my retired friends their freedom - especially when they’re doing something I want to do or going somewhere I would really like to go to but have work commitments.

I know that many retired people have wonderful hobbies, care for grandchildren or achieve long-held dreams. For me, though, work just does it.