More people over 50 are choosing to go it alone, giving up their career to be freelance and branch out into new sectors – India Sturgis meets those performing a late-life U-turn.

For some, the years north of 50 are an opportunity to wind down and freewheel towards retirement, safe in the knowledge that a pension is on the horizon. Not so for Karen Gee who, 18 months ago, gave up a 34-year career in banking to perform a spectacular late-life career U-turn.
The 51-year-old mother-of-three took voluntary redundancy from a senior managerial role at Royal Bank of Scotland Group, giving up an £80,000 salary, to go freelance – in several new professions. As well as setting up as a business coach, she has also become a children’s author and works for the Samaritans.