Pension Coverage

Survey Name:

Pension Coverage

Survey purpose:

The purpose of the annual Pensions Survey is to provide reliable annual estimates of supplementary pension coverage (outside of the State Pension) in the State. The survey meets national demands for annual estimates of overall supplementary pension coverage and types of supplementary pension cover.

Legislative Basis National:

Not applicable

Legislative Basis European:

Not applicable

Periodicity:

Annual

Statistical Population:

All persons aged 20 to 69 years who were in current employment (ILO labour force classification) at the time of interview or who were not in current employment (ILO) but had previous employments.

Sampling Frame:

All individuals living in private households.

Reference Area:

The State

Time Coverage:

Since 2018, the survey has been carried out on an annual basis in the third quarter of the year, using the Labour Force Survey (LFS) survey instrument. Prior to 2018, a pensions module was previously carried out in Quarter 4 2015 and also in Quarter 4 2009 as a module of the QNHS (Quarterly National Household Survey) (the LFS replaced the QNHS at the beginning of Quarter 3 2017).

Base Period:

Not Applicable

Sector Coverage:

NACE Rev.2 - classified by divisions

Survey Size:

The Pensions Survey includes not only persons in current employment (ILO labour force classification), but also persons not in current employment (ILO) but did have previous employments. The survey is asked of one randomly selected adult per household. The achieved overall sample was 7,957. Of this, there were 6,041 persons in employment aged 20 to 69 years.

Principal Variables:

ILO status (employed, unemployed etc.), industry of employment, occupation of employment, status of employment, hours of work (part time/full time), size of firm in which the respondent is employed/self employed, pension type, duration of pension coverage, reason for not having supplementary pension coverage, expected source of income on retirement, awareness of automatic enrolment retirement savings scheme, intent to participate in automatic enrolment retirement savings scheme, etc. Indicators are published by a range of classifications including sex, age group, nationality, hours of work (part time/full time), size of firm in which the respondent is employed/self employed.

Principal External Users:

Government Departments, in particular Department of Social Protection, Pensions Authority, Pensions Commission, research centers and universities, media and general public.

Contact Organisation:

Central Statistics Office

Business Area:

Social & Demographic Statistics

Contact Person:

Maureen Delamare

Contact Person Function:

Statistician

Other Business Area Specialists:

Lisa O'Donovan

Contact email:

socialmodules@cso.ie

Contact phone number:

(+353) 21 453 5000