Women's pensions substantially lower

The proportion of over-65 women receiving supplementary pensions has grown over the past decade, though the gender gap is still substantial. Generally, women receive only half the amount male pensioners get.

More and more women receive supplementary pensions

Half of women received supplementary pensions in 2000 in addition to the general old age pension (AOW). The proportion for women was 59 percent in 2010 versus 92 percent for men.

In the category women living with a partner (married or unmarried), the proportion was relatively low, but this category showed the fastest growth from 21 percent in 2000 to 36 percent in 2010.

The proportion of single women receiving supplementary pensions grew little. These women often build up a pension during their active career or receive a surviving relatives’ pension. The gender gap for single women is much smaller than for over-65s living with partners.

Over-65s receiving supplementary pensions

Younger generations of women more often receive supplementary pensions

The increase among women receiving supplementary pensions is due to younger generations of AOW recipients, who more often receive supplementary pensions than older generations. In 2010, for example, only 27 percent of 75 to 80-year-old women with a partner received supplementary pensions versus 45 percent of their 65 to 75-year-old counterparts.

Supplementary pensions over-65s with partners by age, 2010

Women’s supplementary pensions significantly lower than men’s

Women’s supplementary pensions are generally much lower than men’s. In 2010, the gross, average, supplementary pension of women was 8,000 euro; men’s supplementary pensions were on average twice as high.

The largest gap between men and women was found in the category over-65s with partners and over the past decade the gap in this category has widened. Supplementary pensions of women with partners were on average 38 percent of men’s supplementary pensions in 2000 versus 33 percent in 2010.

Average supplementary pension over-65s

Wim Bos