They built houses. Raised children. Paid taxes. Paid into the pension fund for decades. And in the end receive a pension that barely covers living costs.
Pensioner poverty is not a marginal phenomenon. It is one of the most pressing social issues of our time – and is still barely discussed.
The numbers speak clearly
Around 3 million people over 65 in Germany are at risk of or already experiencing pensioner poverty. Women more often than men – because they more often worked part-time, raised children, cared for relatives. All unpaid.
The pension system rewards long continuous full-time work. It penalises people who looked after others.
What would be fairer
- Pension points for childcare and caring – genuinely adequate, not symbolic
- A minimum pension that actually covers the minimum standard of living
- Recognition of care work as a social contribution
- No pensioner poverty for people who worked their whole lives
A society shows itself in how it treats the most vulnerable
Whoever worked and contributed to this country their whole life deserves a retirement in dignity. That is not a utopia. That is a minimum standard. And we are far from meeting it.