Can the retirement-consumption puzzle be resolved?: evidence from the British Household Panel Survey

This paper uses data from the British Household Panel Survey to shed further light on the fall in spending at retirement (the “retirement-consumption puzzle”). Comparing food spending for men retiring involuntarily early (through ill health or redundancy) with spending for those who retire voluntarily, it finds a significant fall in spending only for those who retire involuntarily. This is consistent with the observed fall in spending being linked to a negative wealth shock for some retirees. Evidence on psychological and financial well-being also indicates that the retirement experience of involuntary retirees is very different to that of voluntary retirees.