Overview

• Official EU-SILC 2024 data indicate that 20% of people aged 65 and over—about 3.3 million—have less than €1,400 net per month.
• The median net equivalised income for seniors is €1,990 per month, up 9% since 2021 yet below the €2,300 median for the total population.
• Women average €1,720 in old-age income versus €2,320 for men, a 25.8% gap that increases further when survivors’ pensions are excluded.
• Recipients of old-age basic security reached 739,000 at the end of 2024, a 31% rise since 2020.
• A federal analysis singles out Cologne, where average 2024 pensions were €1,414 for men and €941 for women and more than 25,000 seniors rely on basic support, while NRW recorded over €2.88 billion in 2024 spending and only 1.78 contributors per pensioner.