Gender Pension Gap Across Europe: How Much Less Do Women Receive?
Across Europe, women receive significantly less in pensions than men. In fact, the gap in pensions is even larger than the gender pay gap, with some countries showing differences of over 30%. Understanding this difference helps explain long-term inequalities between men and women in income, retirement security, and overall financial stability.
Gender Pay Gap vs. Gender Pension Gap
The gender pay gap is widely known in Europe. According to Eurostat, in 2023, women in the EU earned 12% less than men. This means that for every €100 earned by men, women earned only €88. While this gap is concerning, the difference becomes even more pronounced when looking at pensions.
Across 27 European countries, including some non-EU members, women’s pension incomes are much lower than men’s. On average, women receive 22% less than men in retirement. In some of the continent’s largest economies, this gap exceeds 35%, according to the OECD.
Pension Differences Across Europe
In 2024, the gender pension gap varied widely among countries. In Estonia, it was as low as 6%, while in the United Kingdom, it reached 37%. The OECD average stands at 23%, and across all 27 countries in the list, the average is 22%. This means that, on average, a woman receives €78 in pension income for every €100 a man receives.
Several countries have particularly high pension gaps above 30%. These include the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, and Ireland. On the other hand, countries with the lowest gaps — at 10% or less — include Estonia, Iceland, Slovakia, Czechia, Slovenia, and Denmark.
The “Motherhood Pension Gap”
Experts point out that much of the gender pension gap is linked to motherhood. Professor Alexandra Niessen-Ruenzi from the University of Mannheim explained that the gap often begins when women start a family. Many women reduce their working hours to care for children, and part-time work usually comes with lower pay.
“Motherhood and reduced working hours push down both current income and later pension entitlements,” Niessen-Ruenzi said. “They also lead to lower lifetime wages and shorter careers, leaving women with less money to invest in private pensions.”
She also noted that differences between countries reflect social norms and gender roles. For example, in conservative welfare states like Germany, women often work part-time for many years, take long career breaks, and face tax systems that penalize joint households. All these factors increase the pension gap.
By contrast, Nordic countries and some Central and Eastern European nations show smaller pension gaps. In these countries, women’s employment histories are more similar to men’s, childcare is widely available, and pension systems often include credits for care years or other redistributive measures.
Progress Over Time
Although gaps remain significant, Europe has seen gradual progress. The average gender pension gap across European countries has fallen from 28% in 2007 to 22% in 2024. Countries that saw the biggest improvements include Slovenia, Germany, and Greece, where the gap decreased by more than 15 percentage points over 17 years.
Other countries, such as Norway, Portugal, Turkey, and Luxembourg, also reduced the gap by more than 10 percentage points. According to the OECD’s Pensions at a Glance 2025 report, “Strongly declining labour market differences between men and women are driving this reduction, but it takes time for these changes to show fully in pensions.”
Among the 27 countries studied, only Austria, Estonia, and Belgium saw small increases in the gender pension gap, while in all other countries, the gap declined, though in some cases only slightly.
Why the Pension Gap Exists
Experts agree that the gender pension gap is the result of long-term inequalities that accumulate over women’s working lives. Professor Antonio Abatemarco from the University of Salerno explained that it is caused by three main factors:
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Labour Market Participation: In many countries, especially in Southern and Eastern Europe, women historically entered the workforce later or worked in informal jobs without pension contributions. Many roles, such as household services, are largely unpaid or informal and mostly done by women, meaning years of work may not count towards pensions.
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Care Responsibilities: In Western Europe, women’s main challenge is not entering the workforce but interruptions due to maternity and childcare. In countries like Germany and Austria, women returning from maternity leave often switch to part-time work. This reduces their pension contributions and slows wage growth.
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Pension Reforms: Changes in pension systems can sometimes worsen gender gaps. For example, in Slovenia, the retirement age for women was increased more than for men, affecting pension income.
Public vs. Private Pensions
Another factor affecting the gender pension gap is the type of pension system. Inés Guillemyn, a PhD candidate at the University of Antwerp, highlighted the difference between public and employer pensions.
In countries with strong multi-pillar pension systems, such as the Netherlands, a large part of pension income comes directly from past wages. Because private pensions often depend on full-time employment and contributions, women — who are more likely to have interrupted careers or work part-time — receive less. These private schemes usually lack mechanisms to redistribute income fairly, which can widen gender disparities.
Why the Gap Matters
The gender pension gap is more than just numbers — it affects women’s financial security in old age. Women who receive lower pensions may struggle with daily expenses, healthcare costs, and maintaining their standard of living after retirement. Because women also live longer than men on average, the impact of lower pensions can be even more severe over a lifetime.
How Countries Can Reduce the Gap
Experts suggest several ways to reduce the gender pension gap:
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Better childcare support: Making childcare more accessible helps women continue full-time work, reducing career interruptions.
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Pension credits for care years: Giving pension benefits for years spent caring for children or elderly relatives helps compensate for career breaks.
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Encouraging equal pay and work opportunities: Closing the gender pay gap also improves long-term pension outcomes.
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Private pension reforms: Making employer-based pension plans more gender-sensitive can prevent widening disparities.
Conclusion
The gender pension gap is a significant issue across Europe. On average, women earn 22% less than men in retirement, and in some countries, the gap exceeds 35%. Motherhood, part-time work, career interruptions, and pension system design all contribute to this difference.
While progress has been made over the last two decades, and the average gap has decreased, it remains a long-term challenge. Addressing the gender pension gap requires coordinated efforts in labor policies, family support, and pension reforms. Without action, women risk facing decades of financial inequality, even after their working lives have ended.
By understanding the causes and trends of the gender pension gap, countries can design policies that support women’s lifelong income equality, ensuring fairer and more secure retirement for all.
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