Expected years in retirement: For how long do Europeans receive their pensions?
Europe’s retirement years differ widely by country and gender
Poinews.com – Expected years in retirement vary substantially across Europe, shaped by statutory pension ages, life expectancy and the age at which people actually leave work. In 2024, men in the European Union could expect to live for another 18.4 years after reaching retirement age, compared with 21.8 years for women.
The average statutory retirement age in the EU was 64.7 for men and 64 for women. These figures represent pension eligibility thresholds, but they do not necessarily indicate when every worker stops working. Contribution histories and other national eligibility requirements can also affect access to a pension.
Turkey has the lowest retirement ages in the comparison
Among the 32 European countries examined, Turkey is a clear outlier. The statutory retirement age is 52 for men and 49 for women, far below the range elsewhere in the comparison, where it runs from 62 to 67 for men and from 60 to 67 for women.
At those pension ages, men in Turkey are projected to have 27.3 years after retirement age and women 34.5 years. However, many people continue working well beyond eligibility: men leave the labour market at an average age of 60.8 and women at 60.5.
Using these effective exit ages reduces the projected period to 18.2 years for men and 22.6 years for women. The contrast illustrates why statutory pension ages alone do not always show how long people are likely to spend away from work.
Luxembourg leads the EU for men
For men, expected years in retirement range from 14.7 years in Bulgaria and Hungary to 27.3 years in Turkey. Within the EU, Luxembourg records the longest period at 22 years, followed by Greece at 21 years and France and Slovenia at 20.7 years each.
Switzerland records 20.4 years for men, while Malta reaches 20.2 years. Cyprus, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Austria and Finland also stand above the EU average.
Germany is below the EU benchmark, with men projected to spend 1.1 fewer years after retirement age than the EU average. Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Romania and Lithuania are among the countries with the shortest periods for men.
Women generally spend longer receiving pensions
Women in the EU have, on average, 3.4 more years after retirement age than men. This reflects women’s longer life expectancy and, in several countries, lower statutory retirement ages.
Turkey has the highest figure for women at 34.5 years, while Luxembourg is also above 25 years. Women in Slovenia, Greece, France, Spain, Switzerland, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus and Finland are expected to have more than 22 years after reaching retirement age.
At the other end of the scale, Hungary records 18.6 years for women. Bulgaria, Romania, the Netherlands, Croatia, Denmark, Latvia and Iceland are also below 20 years. Germany, at 20.3 years, and the United Kingdom, at 21 years, remain below the EU average.
The gender gap is not the same everywhere
The difference between men and women is smallest in Iceland, where women are expected to have 1.6 more years after retirement age. Turkey has the widest gap at 7.2 years, while Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland also show differences of at least four years.
Expected years in retirement should therefore be read alongside labour-market exit patterns, pension rules and national life expectancy. A low retirement age may increase the theoretical time a person can receive a pension, but continued employment can significantly shorten the period spent outside work.
FAQ: Retirement and pensions in Europe
What do expected years in retirement mean?
It is the estimated number of years a person may live after reaching the statutory retirement age. It does not guarantee that a person will receive a pension for that entire period, since eligibility can depend on national contribution and employment rules.
Why do women usually have more years in retirement?
Women generally live longer than men and may qualify for pensions at a lower statutory age in some countries. Together, these factors increase their projected years after retirement age.
Does reaching retirement age mean a person must stop working?
No. Many workers remain employed after becoming eligible for a pension. Actual labour-market exit can be later than the statutory retirement age, changing the practical length of retirement.