women’s pensions are 28% lower than those of men, according to the Court of Auditors

Retirement pensions for women in France are 28% lower than those for men, the Court of Auditors said on Wednesday May 24 in its annual report on the financing of social security, obtained by franceinfo. During a press conference, its president Pierre Moscovici spoke of a “absolutely glaring inequality“.

>>> Retirement: why do gender inequalities persist?

According to the Court of Auditors, this difference of 28%, on average, takes into account survivors’ pensions. Without this amount paid after the death of the husband, or ex-husband, this difference increases to 40%. “Pension reform should have a small effect“, advances the president of the Court of Auditors, Pierre Moscovici, “but not enough to close these huge gaps“. Women represent 90% of the beneficiaries of survivor’s pensions. For those who benefit from it, around a third of retired women, this survivor’s pension represents half of their total pension.

Inequalities in working life

On average, in 2020, including survivors’ pensions and various family rights, women received 1,400 euros in pensions each month, compared to 1,955 euros for men. This gap is obviously explained by inequalities over the course of professional life: women are generally paid less than men, more often part-time, and with more choppy careers for mothers.

However, the Court of Auditors also calls into question the rules for calculating pensions, “in practice unfavorable“to women, she says. The pension reform just enacted does not bring any substantial change to all these mechanisms.”So everything needs to be overhauled, to make them more efficient.“, according to Pierre Moscovici.