Despite the introduction of the pension bonus in July 2024, aimed at encouraging Belgian workers to extend their careers, its effect on the effective retirement age remains marginal for the moment.
A study carried out by the Partena Professional social secretariat, based on data from 150,000 private sector workers, reveals that the average retirement age has not increased and remains stable at 63,8 ans.
An average retirement age that changes little
Since 2016, the average retirement age in Belgium has stagnated between 63.7 and 64 years, with no real notable change. This figure is close to the legal retirement age currently set at 65. However, many workers leave the labor market before this age, notably through schemes such as the old early pension system or unemployment with company allowance.
Note that the legal retirement age will gradually increase, rising to 66 years in 2025, then to 67 years in 2030:
| Date | Legal retirement age |
|---|---|
| Until January 31, 2025 | 65 ans |
| From February 1, 2025 to January 31, 2030 | 66 ans |
| From February 1, 2030 | 67 ans |
According to Yves Stox, Managing Consultant at Partena Professional, the effective retirement age, however, remains below these thresholds, due to the numerous early departures.
The pension bonus: a still invisible effect
The pension bonus, in place since July 1, 2024, allows workers who have reached legal retirement age to receive an additional amount by continuing to work. This bonus, calculated daily, is aimed at employees, self-employed people and civil servants.
Despite this financial incentive, the figures show that the behavior of Belgian workers has not yet changed significantly. “We are not yet observing any notable impact of the pension bonus, including for the third and fourth quarters of 2024,” underlines Yves Stox.
The system, however, aims to encourage progressive development by aligning the effective retirement age more closely with the legal age, particularly in the run-up to the changes planned for 2030.
