According to the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees), there were 17.3 million direct pensioners including 718,000 first-time liquidatorsat the end of 2024. In addition to these numbers, 900,000 people having only a survivor’s pension (also known as secondary law), almost exclusively for women. That’s a total of 18.2 million people who were receiving a pension, either directly or through secondary legislation, at the end of 2024. Every year, the number of new retirees will increase », comments Marylin Vilardebo, CEO of Origami&Co. With seniors who have been receiving their pension for sometimes thirty years, the increase in life expectancy pushes the system to its limits.
The average gross direct pension – without pension increase for parents of three children – amounts to 1,705 euros for pensioners residing in France, an increase of 0.8% compared to 2023. Although slightly increasing, this purely statistical amount does not reflect the daily life of all recipients: “ This figure hides the reality of big gaps for every situation, from very small pension to very high retirement », she analyzes.
Structural inequalities
The average pension for women is lower by 36% to that of men (without taking into account the survivor’s pension), in the continuity of salary inequalities: “ Even if this figure will change in the coming years since today’s retired women come from a generation that has worked less than today’s working women, it confirms the reform issues and quarterly accounts for women who have had children in particular “. The gap goes from 36% to 25% when taking into account the survivor’s pension, in addition to the direct pension.
As for age, it increasesone more month compared to 2023 for the general system, retirement was therefore at 63 years and 7 months at the end of 2024. For the civil civil service of the State, the increase is clearer with five more monthsbringing the average age of departure to 63 years and 2 months. “ This increase can be explained with pension reformknowing that the age will continue to increase », she adds. The extension of the duration of activity creates a gap for thousands of employees. “ Having not yet reached the new legal age, excluded from long career schemes, but already out of the labor market, they find themselves registered with France Travail, which takes over by paying subsistence allowances while waiting for retirement. “.
