Starting age increased by more than two years in a decade, women still at a disadvantage

2023-06-16 06:02:36

In France, the battle against pension reform runs out of steam after many rounds which did not allow the unions to roll back the government. If the latter assure not to “turn the page”, a new study by the Department of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (DREES) could set the fire to the powder. Published this Friday, it shows that between 2010 and 2021, the retirement age retirement has already increased by 2 years and 1 month.

This report entitled “Retirees and pensions – 2023 edition” shows a drop in the number of retirees from 2010. This decline “is mainly explained by the timetable for implementing the 2010 pension reform, with the postponement progressive of the legal age of opening of the rights, since July 2011, and of the age of cancellation of the reduction [âge automatique du taux plein]since July 2016”, notes the DREES.

Women retire at 63 on average

More specifically, the average retirement age is 62 years and 7 months for men and 63 years for women. Since 2016, the departure age “However, increases more slowly”, underlines the DREES. “At the end of 2021, 27% of 61-year-olds residing in France are already retired, while 15% of those aged 65 are not yet retired”, explains the report.

In total, 17 million people are retired in France in 2021. The DREES notes an increase of +0.5% in the workforce compared to the previous year. New retirees are almost as many as in 2020: 722,000. This is a rate that is “in the lower range of the trend of recent years”, underlines the report.

The purchasing power of pensions is falling

The report also shows that the purchasing power retirees is declining. While l’inflation is strangling French households, retirees are no exception. The DREES notes a 1.3% drop in the purchasing power of pensions in 2021.

“The average gross pension increased by 1.5% in current euros compared to that of December 2020, but fell by 1.3% in constant euros, because consumer prices increased by 2.8% during this period”, explains the report. The figures could widen in 2022 when consumer price inflation reached 5.9% year on year in April. However, “the median standard of living of retirees remains slightly higher than that of the population as a whole”, notes the DREES.