the essential
The latest official statistics on French retirees indicate the average level of their pension, the evolution of their purchasing power or their standard of living compared to that of active workers.
Examination of the Social Security budget, plans to repeal the 2023 reform… Retirees are at the center of parliamentary news. Coincidentally with the calendar, the statistical service of social ministries (Drees) published, this Wednesday, October 30, its 2024 panorama of retirement and retirees.
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Agirc-Arrco supplementary pensions: amounts, inflation… three questions surrounding the revaluation of pensions scheduled for November 1
How much is the pension for retirees?
France paid pensions to 17 million retirees in 2022including 53% women. The average gross pension (excluding survivor's pensions) of those residing in France amounted to 1,626 euros gross, i.e. 1,512 euros net.
We observe a very significant difference between men and women : the pension of the former (2,050 euros gross) is 38% higher than that of the latter (1,268 euros gross). The gap is, however, tending to narrow, since it was 50% in 2004. And taking into account the possible survivor's pension, the gap is reduced to 26%.
Is their purchasing power increasing?
Over the long term, from the end of 2012 to the end of 2022, the purchasing power of most policyholders, residing in France and having liquidated their pension before 2012, has experienced an erosion : their gross pension decreased by 5.5% in “constant euros”.
However, if we take into account new entrants into the system, with generally higher pensions, overall purchasing power increased slightly (+0.8% in ten years).
Is their standard of living higher than that of working people?
The average net pension is lower than the average salary, underlines Dress. But, taking into account all resources, particularly from assets, and the composition of households (dependent children), the standard of living of retirees is “slightly higher than that of the general population”.
In 2021, the median standard of living of retirees living in mainland France in ordinary housing (excluding nursing homes, etc.) amounted to 1,970 euros per monthor 2.1% more than the entire population (1,930 euros).
The gap is even greater if we take into account that retirees more often own their homes – and therefore pay rent less often. Thus, with the housing effect, the median standard of living of retirees was 9.5% higher to that of the rest of the population.
How many are below the poverty line?
Environ 10% of retirees live below the poverty linecompared to 14.5% of the general population and 20.6% of those under 18.
At the end of 2022, on the other hand, 691,000 people benefited from a minimum old-age allowance, i.e. 4.1% more than the end of 2021. But one in two eligible households does not request it.
