Share of pensioners has grown 8 pct in last five years

Photo: Andrus Eesmaa

As of Jan. 1, 2013 pensioners made up 31.8 percent of Estonia's total population and their share has risen 8 percent over the last five years, it appears from the statistical yearbook published by Statistics Estonia on Friday.

Recipients of state pension numbered 409,260, which marks an increase of 1.2 percent against the previous year. By regions, the share of pensioners has risen above 40 percent in the East-Viru, Jogeva and Polva counties.

Retirement age did not change in 2012 and the change in the number of pensioners could have been influenced by the ageing of the population and the resultant size of retiring generations, as well as mortality of pensioners. Approximately three quarters of all pensioners are old-age pensioners who number 297,413.

The second major group are persons receiving pension for incapacity for work who made up 23 percent of all pension recipients. The 4.6 percent increase year on year in their number may have resulted from the continued impact of the economic recession, unemployment and social problems.

The number of recipients of superannuated pensions surged 57 percent. The remarkable growth is due to the fact that in 2013 recipients of police pensions were for the first time categorized as recipients of superannuated pensions. The number of recipients of national pension also increased.

The number of the disabled grew by about 3 percent and they made up 10.7 percent of the population.

Pensions increased slightly in 2012. The average pension was 276.6 euros a month, up by 2.2 percent from 2011, and the average old-age pension rose 2.6 percent to 312.9 euros per month. The pension rise was helped along by economic growth and indexation by 1.044.

Outlays on pensions have grown from year to year mostly owing to the demographic situation but also due to the economic crisis. Last year 1.36 billion euros was disbursed in state pensions, accounting for roughly 21 percent of budget expenditure.