Expected years in retirement across Europe: How long pensions last
Usagevpn.com – Expected years in retirement vary sharply across Europe, reflecting differences in statutory pension ages and life expectancy. While many governments are increasing retirement ages as people live longer, the period during which people receive a pension remains very different from one country to another.
In 2024, the average statutory retirement age in the European Union was 64.7 for men and 64 for women. At those ages, men in the EU could expect to live another 18.4 years, while women could expect a further 21.8 years. Access to a pension can also depend on minimum employment or contribution records, and many people continue working after becoming eligible.
Large differences for men across Europe
Among the 32 countries examined, Turkey recorded the longest pension-receiving period for men. With a retirement age of 52, men were expected to receive a pension for 27.3 years. Bulgaria and Hungary were at the other end of the ranking, with 14.7 years each.
Within the EU, Luxembourg had the longest period for male pension recipients, at 22 years. Greece followed at 21 years, while France and Slovenia were both at 20.7 years. Switzerland stood at 20.4 years and Malta at 20.2 years.
Cyprus, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom also exceeded the EU average for men. Their figures ranged from 19 years in Ireland and the UK to 19.8 years in Cyprus. Austria recorded 18.8 years and Finland 18.7 years.
Latvia, Romania and Lithuania joined Bulgaria and Hungary among the countries where men could expect fewer than 16 years after pension eligibility. Germany was also below the EU average, unlike several other major European economies.
Women receive pensions for longer on average
Women generally spend more time receiving a pension because they tend to live longer. Across the EU, the average was 21.8 years for women, compared with 18.4 years for men. Turkey again had the highest figure in the wider group, at 34.5 years, while Hungary had the lowest, at 18.6 years.
Luxembourg was the only EU country where women could expect more than 25 years of pension payments. Women in Slovenia, Greece, France, Spain, Switzerland, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus and Finland were also expected to receive pensions for more than 22 years.
Germany and the UK were both below the EU average for women, at 20.3 years and 21 years respectively. Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, the Netherlands, Croatia, Denmark, Latvia and Iceland were among the countries below 20 years.
On average, women in the EU had 3.4 more years in retirement than men. The smallest gender gap was in Iceland, at 1.6 years, while the largest was in Turkey, at 7.2 years. Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland also recorded differences of at least four years.
Pension age and leaving work are not the same
Statutory pension eligibility does not always indicate when people stop working. Across the EU, men left the labour market at an average age of 63.8, compared with an official retirement age of 64.7. Women left work at 62.9 on average, against a statutory age of 64.
Turkey illustrates the gap particularly clearly. Men can formally retire at 52 but leave the labour market at an average age of 60.8. Women can retire at 49 but leave work at 60.5 on average. Using those later exit ages, men would have 18.2 years after leaving work and women would have 22.6 years.
A lower official retirement age can provide earlier access to a pension without necessarily meaning that people stop working immediately.
Outside Turkey, retirement ages in the countries examined ranged from 62 to 67 for men and from 60 to 67 for women. In the EU overall, men were expected to live to 83.1 years and women to 85.8 years. These differences help explain why pension policy remains important for public finances, employers and households.
Frequently asked questions
What determines how long someone receives a pension?
The main factors are the age at which pension eligibility begins and life expectancy at that age. Contribution requirements, employment history and decisions to continue working can also affect an individual’s situation.
Why do women usually have more years after retirement age?
Women generally have a longer life expectancy than men. As a result, they receive pensions for longer on average, even where men and women have the same statutory retirement age.
Does reaching pension age mean a person has stopped working?
No. A person may become eligible for a pension while continuing to work. Labour-market exit ages can therefore give a different picture of the time people spend outside employment.
