The gender pension gap in the EU countries

How it is measured

The survey covers people living in private households. People in collective households and institutions, such as care homes, are generally not included (Estonia includes collective households).

The gap compares average gross pensions, before income tax and social contributions. It does not take account of other income, of the household's income or of the cost of living.

The pension income is that of the calendar year before the survey. Until 2019, Ireland used the twelve months before the interview instead.

The gap compares averages, so a few large pensions or one-off payments can move it. In countries where the survey counts few women with a pension, it can change a lot from one year to the next.

France's figures cover the European part of the country and, since 2022, four overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Réunion). Mayotte is not included. Portugal's figures include the Azores and Madeira, and Cyprus's cover the government-controlled areas.

The gap compares the median gross pensions of women and men, before income tax and social contributions. Half of the pensions of each sex are below the median, and half above. It does not take account of other income, of the household's income or of the cost of living.

The median gap rests on the pensioners in the survey sample. In some countries it changes a lot from one year to the next.

A woman without a pension of her own may live on her partner's pension. In some countries, such as Ireland and Spain, a pension may be raised for a dependent spouse or partner. The gap does not necessarily show women's real access to pension income.

In some countries the statutory retirement age is above 65. Some people of the age group may therefore not yet receive a pension.

In some countries the gap changes a lot from one year to the next.

Breaks in the series

From 2025, Hungary's old-age and survivors' pensions in the survey come from the records of the Hungarian State Treasury. Hungary's values before and after 2025 may not be fully comparable.

From 2024, Portugal's old-age pensions in the survey come from tax records. According to Portugal's statistical office, this lowered the pension amounts compared with the survey answers.

From 2023, Croatia's pensions in the survey come partly from administrative sources. Croatia's values before and after 2023 may not be fully comparable.

Eurostat's metadata say that from 2020, and in particular from 2021, the series of many countries were partly or fully affected by breaks. The countries are Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, France, Croatia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden.

A break in the series (flag b) means that a value is not fully comparable with the years before it. This concerns Croatia (2024), France (2022) and Luxembourg (2021–2022, 2025).

Revisions

In October 2025, Hungary's EU-SILC data for 2019 to 2024 were revised with population figures from the 2022 census. The income data for 2019 to 2022 were also imputed by a revised method.

Provisional figures

A provisional value (flag p) may still be revised. This concerns Lithuania (2025).