VdK study on pensions: work harder, retire less, live shorter lives

In Germany there are big differences in who gets how much from their retirement. This is the result of a current study commissioned by the social association VdK. Civil servants have multiple advantages.

Officials live longer. And that after a working life in which they are less stressed than other population groups. At least that is the case on average, according to a new study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) on behalf of the social association VdK.

According to this, civil servants currently have a life expectancy of 87.2 years – more than salaried employees, self-employed and, above all, workers, who do the worst at 83.1 years.

Less life, less pension

In addition, workers – due to a lower income – have to get by on average with less money in their shorter retirement. That is “doubly unfair”, thinks the VdK. The association therefore calls for a flexible retirement age, staggered according to the severity of the job and the amount of the pension. The VdK rejects a fixed point in time for retirement at the age of 67.

The study shows one thing very clearly, says the association’s president Verena Bentele: “Especially those who work in physically or psychologically challenging occupations fail to work any longer and have to accept discounts. The screw cannot be tightened even more. ”

Many employees who work in occupations that are classified as particularly stressful earn less money, receive fewer pensions and have a shorter life expectancy. The lowest income group lives on average almost five years less than the highest: 82.6 instead of 87.5 years.

Others should work longer

The authors of the study suggest that employees who are particularly stressed should be able to retire more easily in the future – without any financial losses. That would have to be financed, especially by other contributors. Peter Haan from DIW says, “that the contribution rates in the social insurance would have to rise, the federal subsidy could be increased. And of course you also have to think about whether by increasing the retirement age for people who can live longer and can work longer, that can counter-finance. “

The study coincides with the federal election campaign, when pension policy is also an issue. In principle, only Die Linke wants to shake the legally stipulated introduction of the pension at 67. The Greens and the SPD only plan to deviate from this in exceptional cases. But since the Union has already announced the need to talk about a large-scale “pension compromise” for the period after the election, it is to be expected that a new governing coalition will in principle not get around the issue.

VdK criticizes higher civil servant pensions

VdK and DIW have particularly focused on the issue of civil servants’ pensions. Because the retirement benefits of retirees are significantly higher than those of retirees – and that with the same earnings in working life. VdK boss Bentele calculates: “With earnings of 31,872 euros a year, an employee has to work 45 years to 67 in order to receive a statutory pension of 1058 euros. A civil servant with the same income only has to work 40 years to 67 and is allowed to work then look forward to a pension of 1902 euros. That is almost double that. ”

Therefore, according to the VdK, in the future all employees – including civil servants and the self-employed – should pay into a joint pension scheme. That would make the system fairer, according to the association.