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I am retired but still actively publishing. I would, hopefully understandably, like to be paid to do this research. Is there some way to get a grant to pay you a salary in this situation? I don't believe a UK university will hire someone my age as a full-time employee.

One option is to become someone's postdoc but this doesn't seem ideal given the way the postdocs are managed by universities these days.

Is there another option?

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    @NajibIdrissi Your pension is earned through the work you do up to the point of retirement. It's not payment for extra work you do after you retire!
    – Simd
    Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 12:29
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    @NajibIdrissi I don't understand this line of thinking. To me it's the same as saying that anyone who already has enough money for food and shelter should work for free. Sure you can choose to do that but I don't see why it is necessarily the right thing to do. The age you are when doing the work seems irrelevant, at least to me. (Also, at least in the UK, your pension is very unlikely to give you a luxurious lifestyle.)
    – Simd
    Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 13:46
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    I guess you (the OP) are looking for soft money sources in the UK where you have a higher status than postdoc. An interesting question.
    – Simd
    Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 14:34
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    It might help to clarify the position you are retired from. I interpret your question to mean that you were not a professor, so you are not emeritus or otherwise could be considered associated with an academic institution (where you might get certain types of grants). Is that correct?
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 15:00
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    @lembik really? I work for the major funder of applied health research in the U.K. and we most certainly do pay for PI time. I think your statement must be discipline or funder specific.
    – rhialto
    Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 23:38

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Establish yourself as a freelance expert consultant (plenty of online advice to do this), and find the right clients interested in funding your research.

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