Retirement is often described as the longest holiday of your life. But unlike a holiday, it can last for several decades—and funding the lifestyle you want may require more than the State Pension alone.
The latest Retirement Living Standards estimate that a single person needs approximately:
- £13,400 a year for a minimum retirement lifestyle
- £31,700 a year for a moderate lifestyle
- £43,900 a year for a comfortable lifestyle
These figures are guides, not personal recommendations. Your own needs will depend on factors such as housing costs, health, travel plans and whether you live alone or with someone else. The figures also assume you have no rent or mortgage to pay. Source: Pensions UK Retirement Living Standards.
The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in the 2026/27 tax year—equivalent to approximately £12,548 a year. Not everyone receives the full amount, and even those who do may find there is a gap between their pension income and the retirement they have imagined. Source: GOV.UK.
One possible way to narrow that gap is to continue earning on your own terms.
For somebody who enjoys walking, meeting people and helping others become more active, running a local walking group as a Total Body WALX instructor could be one option.
What does a Total Body WALX Instructor do?
A WALX Master is trained to plan and lead safe, structured outdoor walking sessions. Depending on the training modules completed, these might include:
- Social and wellbeing walks
- Total Body Walking with poles
- Walking-fitness sessions
- Beginner pole-walking workshops
- Rehabilitation-focused sessions
- Preparation for walking holidays and challenges
This is more than simply arranging a group walk. A Total Body WALX Instructor learns how to screen participants, assess routes, manage different ability levels and deliver sessions at an appropriate intensity.
The role also includes the practical work involved in running a small local business: promoting walks, welcoming new participants, managing bookings, communicating with members and keeping financial records.
Can you work after retiring?
Yes. There is no general rule requiring you to stop working when you reach State Pension age. You can receive the State Pension while continuing to work or run a business.
For many people, the attraction is not returning to a conventional full-time job. It is having a flexible activity which can be fitted around holidays, family commitments and other retirement plans.
A WALX Instructor can decide:
- How many sessions to offer
- Which days and times to work
- What type of walking programme to develop
- How large they want the group to become
- Whether they want a modest supplementary income or a more substantial business
That flexibility can make the idea particularly relevant to someone who has retired from their main career but is not ready to stop being active or contributing to their community.
Instructor or WALX Master: two different opportunities
There are two ways to approach this, depending on the income, responsibility and lifestyle you want.
Example one: become a Total Body WALX Instructor
Training cost: £495 (July ’26 prices)
This option is suited to somebody who wants to lead their own paid Total Body Walking sessions without building a large walking organisation.
For example:
- 10 participants
- £7 per person
- 3 sessions a week
- 46 working weeks a year
Potential annual turnover: £9,660
This could provide a useful supplement to retirement income while leaving plenty of time for family, holidays and other interests.
The figure is an illustration, not a guarantee. Commission, expenses and tax would need to be deducted to calculate the instructor’s actual profit.
Example two: build a lifestyle business as a WALX Master
Training and business package: approximately £1,500 (July ’26 prices)
For somebody who wants to build a larger and potentially more valuable community business, the WALX Master route offers a different model.
A WALX Master can develop a full local walking group with a varied programme, recurring memberships and additional trained skills. The aim is not necessarily for the Master to lead every walk personally.
As the community grows, suitable volunteers can help lead some of its social walks, subject to the appropriate training, risk assessments, insurance and WALX operating requirements. This allows the Master to concentrate on supporting members, developing the programme and managing the group without creating an overly onerous working week.
WALX provides practical support during the important first 12 months, including:
- Personal guidance and business support
- A local web presence
- Booking and payment facilities
- Client-management systems
- Health-screening processes
- Session plans and programme resources
- Additional fitness and wellness skills
- Help with promoting and growing the group
- Administrative systems and reporting
This removes much of the work and uncertainty involved in trying to build a walking business entirely from scratch.
A simple WALX Master example
A group with 100 members paying £26 a month by Direct Debit would generate:
100 members × £26 = £2,600 monthly turnover
That is:
£31,200 annual turnover
This is business turnover, not take-home income. WALX commission, payment charges, local expenses, tax and other operating costs must be deducted before calculating profit.
Depending on membership numbers, pricing, services and the maturity of the group, an established WALX Master business could potentially generate between £1,000 and £8,000 a month in turnover. Results are not guaranteed, and reaching the higher end would require a substantially larger or broader operation.
| Group size | Monthly fee | Illustrative monthly turnover |
|---|---|---|
| 40 members | £26 | £1,040 |
| 100 members | £26 | £2,600 |
| 200 members | £26 | £5,200 |
| 300 members | £26 | £7,800 |
The most important distinction is simple:
- A Total Body WALX Instructor personally delivers paid sessions and earns according to the sessions they lead.
- A WALX Master builds and manages a recurring-membership walking community which can offer a fuller programme supported by systems, additional skills and suitable walk volunteers.
A lifestyle business for the “retired but not finished” generation
Around 3.5 million people aged 50–64 were economically inactive in the UK in 2025. Approximately 29% described themselves as retired.
Some will be happily and securely retired. Others may have left employment believing their pension and savings would provide enough, only to discover that rising living costs—or simply the reality of funding a much longer retirement—have changed the calculation.
Many do not want to return to a conventional job with fixed hours, commuting and limited freedom. But they may welcome an opportunity to earn again if it fits around the life they have created.
A local WALX group can offer that middle ground: a purposeful lifestyle business which combines flexible income with outdoor activity, community and social connection.
It still requires commitment. A successful group must be promoted, managed safely and looked after properly. Income is not automatic, and building recurring membership takes time.
For the right person, however, it could provide something a traditional retirement job may not: the opportunity to earn on their own terms while creating a healthier and better-connected local community.
Could the income be paid into a pension?
Depending on your circumstances, income from self-employment may allow you to continue making personal pension contributions and receiving tax relief until age 75.
For most people, tax relief is limited by their relevant UK earnings and the pension annual-allowance rules. Someone with no relevant earnings can ordinarily still receive tax relief on a gross personal contribution of up to £3,600, subject to eligibility. Business profits from genuine self-employment can count as relevant earnings.
There is an additional complication if you have already accessed a defined-contribution pension flexibly. This can trigger the Money Purchase Annual Allowance, which is £10,000 for the 2026/27 tax year and restricts future tax-relieved defined-contribution pension saving. Source: GOV.UK pension-scheme rates.
Pension and tax decisions depend on individual circumstances, so it is sensible to speak to a regulated financial adviser or tax professional before acting.
The potential benefits are not only financial
Extra income may be the original motivation, but it is not the only possible benefit.
Retirement can sometimes mean losing the routine, social contact and sense of purpose that came with work. Leading a walking community can provide all three, while also encouraging the Master to remain physically active.
Potential benefits include:
- Regular time outdoors
- A reason to stay active
- New friendships and community connections
- The satisfaction of helping other people
- A weekly structure without a full-time timetable
- The chance to learn new skills
- An income linked to an enjoyable activity
However, leading walks is still work. It involves responsibility for other people, preparation in different weather conditions, administration and the pressure of attracting and retaining customers. It will suit some retirees much better than others.
Who might enjoy becoming a WALX Master?
It may appeal to someone who:
- Already enjoys walking and being outdoors
- Likes working with groups
- Is comfortable encouraging and supporting people
- Wants flexible, part-time self-employment
- Is willing to promote a local service
- Can manage basic administration and finances
- Is physically able to lead the planned sessions safely
- Wants to build something within their community
You do not necessarily have to be an elite athlete. Being approachable, reliable, safety-conscious and able to help people progress at their own level may be more important.
It may be less suitable if you want completely passive income, dislike marketing or administration, or need a fixed and guaranteed amount of money every month.
Tax and benefits need to be considered
Income from running walking sessions is normally taxable alongside pension and other income. The State Pension is also taxable, although it is generally paid without tax being deducted first.
If your gross trading income exceeds £1,000 in a tax year, you will usually need to register for Self Assessment as a sole trader. The £1,000 threshold relates to gross income before expenses—not profit. Source: GOV.UK.
Most people stop paying National Insurance after reaching State Pension age, although the precise treatment depends on their circumstances and when the income was earned. Source: GOV.UK.
Additional earnings can also affect means-tested support, including Pension Credit and Council Tax Reduction. Check the position before assuming that every pound of business profit will increase your disposable income by the same amount.
Questions to ask before getting started
Before committing money to training, ask yourself:
- How much additional annual income would make a meaningful difference to me?
- How many sessions would I genuinely like to lead each week?
- Is there likely to be sufficient demand in my area?
- What would I charge, and how many regular participants would I need?
- What would remain after commission, expenses and tax?
- How would illness, holidays and poor weather affect the group?
- Do I want the responsibilities of self-employment?
- Would I still enjoy doing this if growth were gradual?
It may help to create three forecasts: cautious, realistic and optimistic. Base your decision on the cautious or realistic version rather than the best possible outcome.
A different kind of retirement income
Topping up a pension is usually discussed in terms of saving more before retirement. But retirement does not have to mark the end of earning altogether.
For the right person, becoming a WALX Master could provide flexible income alongside physical activity, social connection and a renewed sense of purpose. It is not passive income, and success is not guaranteed. Training costs, business expenses, tax and the work required to build a group all need careful consideration.
But if walking is already part of the retirement you want, helping other people to enjoy it could be one way to make that retirement more financially sustainable—and more rewarding.
This article provides general information and is not financial, tax, legal or investment advice. Pension rules, tax rates, WALX prices and programme terms may change. Check current information and obtain professional advice where appropriate.
