As of: February 20, 2024, 11:11 a.m
By: Vivian Werg
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More and more people are affected by old-age poverty in retirement.
Although many people are entitled to basic security, this is often not taken advantage of.
Berlin – After a long working life, old age should be financially worry-free.
But for many people in Germany, the pension alone is not enough to cover their living expenses.
Many of them continue to work after retirement and are dependent on additional financial income.
Women are particularly often affected by this.
Although they have achieved a lot in life, it unfortunately does not protect them from poverty in old age in retirement.
Old-age poverty in retirement: Why older people are at risk
More and more people in Germany who are over 65 years old are at risk of poverty.
According to the Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ), almost a quarter of people over 80 (22.4 percent) are affected.
This emerged from a study “Old age in Germany” funded by the Federal Ministry for Senior Citizens (as of December 2021).
According to the study, the proportion of poor women over the age of 80 was almost ten percent higher than men.
There are many reasons why older people fall into poverty:
Interruptions during working life:
Unemployment, raising children, care, low earnings and self-employment can mean that people are able to pay less money into statutory pension insurance and are therefore at risk of poverty in old age.
Single mothers:
Women are often less insured than men - despite decades of employment.
Coupled with traditionally longer phases of raising children, it is often not enough to have sufficient financial cushion in old age.
Single mothers in particular are at risk of poverty in old age.
They are often unable to work much due to raising children.
No vocational training:
People without vocational training or with a migration background are at great risk of becoming impoverished in old age.
People who are employed informally:
This group of people has no financial security.
Source: Aktion Deutschland, Malteser
An 81-year-old pensioner has worked full-time her entire working life - but she still can't make ends meet with her pension (symbolic image) © Stephanie Pilick/dpa
Pensioner would not be able to make ends meet without additional help
How needy retired women are is also shown by the case of an 81-year-old from Berlin-Neukölln.
As
Focus
reports, the 81-year-old has worked full-time all her life.
As a dental assistant, she earned 1,200 German marks net at the time.
Today she receives a pension of 1,115 euros.
After deducting her fixed costs, the pensioner only had 300 euros to spend freely each month.
According to her own statements, without the financial support of family members and friends, the senior citizen would generally not be able to pay for medication, food or household goods.
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“The need is greater than ever,”
Focus
quotes Sandra Bisping, founder of the Munich association “A Heart for Pensioners.”
“Affected people often have nothing to eat on the 20th of the month.
If you still have 10 euros available, you think: Do I buy medicine or food now?”
Often, poverty in old age in retirement also leads to social poverty
A survey by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) has shown that over the past year fewer and fewer people have been able to afford a balanced meal with meat, fish or a vegetarian alternative at least every other day.
“Those who lack money often also lack security and social participation,” says the Maltese aid service.
Without additional financial resources, a balanced diet or full medical care is also difficult.
“Loneliness and social isolation also increase the risk of illness, while life expectancy decreases,” the aid service explains.
Most pensioners do not take advantage of basic security benefits
People of retirement age who are affected by poverty have the option of basic security or housing benefit.
This is intended to help if your monthly financial needs are higher than your own income including all assets.
But many of those affected often withdraw out of shame and become isolated.
According to the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), around 60 percent of people who are entitled do not take advantage of it.
“Many people don’t know they are eligible.
Others don’t dare admit that they are needy, and for others the process is too bureaucratic and time-consuming,” says Peter Haan, Professor of Empirical Economic Research at the Free University of Berlin and Head of the State Department at DIW Berlin.
In addition, a recent study has shown that fewer people receive the basic pension than announced.
(vw)