Jobs in the age - More than 1.3 million old-age pensioners go to work
More than 1.3 million of the 18.6 million retirees in Germany continue to work. This is according to a response from the federal government to a query by the Left party in the Bundestag, reported by the Ippen media group. The source is the statistics of the German pension insurance. According to this, as of December 31, 2022, the majority (1 million) of those who were still working to supplement their retirement were doing so in a mini-job. Around 300,000 retirees were employed in a low-paid job.
Left party MP Matthias W. Birkwald described it as "intolerable that pensions in Germany are on average so low that many retirees have to continue working".
The federal government responded to a similar query from the AfD in July by also referring to a report by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). According to this, enjoyment of work, sense of purpose, and contact with others are important motivations for working in old age. Financial motives are mentioned much less frequently.
In 2022, German retirees received an average of around 1,400 euros in retirement benefits, according to the German pension insurance. The amount varies individually and depends on earnings during working life and contributions to the pension fund.
Many retirees in Germany, including those from the Left party's statistics, continue to work to supplement their income. Furthermore, the federal government mentioned in their response to the AfD that enjoyment of work, sense of purpose, and social interaction are significant motivators for elderly people in Germany to remain employed.
