Pensions in 2025: women still at a disadvantage – benefits 25 per cent lower than those for men
According to the INPS report, the average gross monthly pension is €1,885, but there is a significant difference between what men receive (€2,165) and what women receive (€1,633). The number of new pensions paid out by INPS in 2025 fell by 1.8 per cent compared with 2024, standing at just over 1.5 million, due to the tightening of rules on early retirement.
Key points
There are around 16.4 million pensioners in total, of whom 8 million are men and 8.4 million are women; the average gross monthly pension is 1,885 euros, but there is a significant difference between what men receive (€2,165) and women (€1,633), with women receiving around a quarter less than men (-24.6 per cent). Women are disadvantaged by historically more discontinuous contribution histories (often due to the burden of caring for family members) and by lower pay throughout their working lives (partly due to greater reliance on involuntary part-time work).
Women account for 51 per cent of pensioners but represent 44 per cent of pension income
In the 25th annual report presented yesterday to the Chamber of Deputies by the President of INPS, Gabriele Fava, the total gross amount of pensions paid out rose to around 371 billion euros (from 347 billion euros in 2023), mainly due to the effects of pension indexation.
Although women account for the majority of pensioners (51 per cent), they receive 44 per cent of pension income (i.e. 163 billion euros compared with 207 billion for men). Looking at the trend in INPS’s statutory benefits, out of a total of €425.6 billion, pensions account for €325 million (+1.4% on 2024), followed by social inclusion benefits at 36.4 million (+7.1%), family support measures at 26.7 million (+2%) and income support at 19.7 million (+4.5%).
New social security benefits down by 3.2%
The number of new benefits paid out by INPS in 2025 fell by 1.8 per cent compared with 2024, standing at just over 1.5 million; of these, 54 per cent were pension benefits and 46 per cent were social assistance benefits, with average monthly amounts of 1,312 and 500 euros respectively. The decline in numbers mainly affects pension benefits, which fell by 3.2% compared with 2024 (totalling 835,000); amongst these, the decrease is most pronounced for early retirement pensions (-5.9%) – partly due to the tightening of early retirement schemes – and for survivors’ benefits (-4.3%), whilst the number of old-age pensions remaining stable in terms of new recipients. Welfare benefits, taken as a whole, show no significant changes, bringing an end to the sustained growth of previous years: there are 706,000 (-0.1%).
Compared with 2024, the average gross monthly pension income has risen by 1.3 per cent, but the amount received by men exceeds that received by women by around 34 per cent. It should also be noted that around 96 per cent of pensioners receive at least one benefit from INPS, with an average gross monthly income of around €1,906. The remaining 4% do not receive INPS benefits, but instead receive INAIL pensions, war pensions or pensions from professional pension schemes, pension funds and smaller organisations.
