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Overall Pension Coverage

Overall Pension Coverage

Online ISSN: 2811-616X
CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Pension cover of females aged 20-69 still falling short of males

  • At an overall level, supplementary pension coverage for males remains greater than that for females – some 68% of males compared with two thirds (66%) of females. Analysis by sex/age group shows that the greatest disparity in supplementary pension coverage exists for younger workers aged 20 to 24 years (31% of males compared with 24% of females).
  • Those in employment aged between 45 and 54 years have the highest level of supplementary pension coverage (80%) up three percentage points on the same period in 2023 and 2022. By comparison, three quarters (75%) of older workers aged 55 to 69, have pension cover of some form, up two percentage points from the same period in 2023.
  • There was an increase in supplementary pension cover of persons who are self-employed and/or assisting relative in Quarter 3 2024 – 59% compared with 54% in the same period in 2023. By comparison, almost seven in ten (68%) employees have pension cover of some form.
  • Pension coverage of part-time workers has decreased in 2024 to 44% (47% in 2023). By comparison, supplementary pension cover of their full-time equivalents remains on a par with 2023 (72%). See Tables 2.1 & 2.2.
Table 2.1 Pension coverage in the State for persons in employment (ILO) by sex, age group, nationality, employment status, and hours of work, Q3 2022 to Q3 2024

Table 2.2 Pension coverage in the State for persons in employment (ILO) by sex and age group, Q3 2024

Professionals have the highest pension coverage

  • The economic sector with the highest pension coverage in Quarter 3 2024 was Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security (95%), followed by Education (91%). The lowest coverage was in the Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector (24%).
  • Analysis of pension coverage by broad occupational groups shows that workers whose occupation was classified as Professionals had the highest pension coverage rate (84%), followed by Managers, Directors, and Senior Officials, and Associate Professional and Technical, both at 76%, while just 36% of workers employed in Elementary occupations1 had pension coverage.
  • When looking at all persons who are either currently in employment or were previously employed (but are currently not in the labour force), some 61% have pension cover of some form. See Figure 2.1 and Tables 2.3 & 2.4

Elementary occupations involve the performance of simple and routine tasks which may require the use of hand-held tools and considerable physical effort. Examples include cleaning, restocking supplies and performing basic maintenance tasks, helping in kitchens and performing simple tasks in food preparation, delivering messages or goods, etc.

Figure 2.1 Pension coverage in the State for persons in employment (ILO) aged 20 to 69 years by broad occupational group, Q3 2024
Table 2.3 Pension coverage in the State for persons in employment (ILO) by NACE Rev.2 Economic Sector and broad occupational group, Q3 2022 to Q3 2024

Table 2.4 Pension coverage in the State for persons in employment (ILO) or had previous employment aged 20 to 69 years by sex and age group, Q3 2023 and Q3 2024