Average number of pensioners in Romania decline in Q1 2018, average monthly pension, 0.9pct lower quarterly

The average number of pensioners in Romania reached 5.223 million in the first three months of 2018, down by 6,000 from the previous quarter, with the average monthly pension standing at 1,122 lei, 0.9 percent lower on a quarterly basis, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). 

The average number pensioners drawing a public pension was 4.686 million, with the size of the public pension standing at 1,072 lei and the ratio between the average public pension for a full contribution period, no tax or healthcare insurance contribution, and net average pay was 51.3pct, as against 52.5pct in the previous quarter. 

INS specifies that compared to the previous quarter the real average pension index, calculated as a ratio between the nominal pension index for the real pension calculation and the consumer price index, was 98.1pct. 

The ratio of the total number of the average number of public pensioners and employees was 9 to 10, with the ration having significant variations nationwide, from only five pensioners to ten employees in Bucharest, 16 pensioners to 10 employees in Teleorman County, 15 to 10 in Giurgiu and Vaslui and 14 to 10 in Botosani, Calarasi, Dambovita and Neamt. 

The average public pension varied significantly nationwide, with the difference between the minimum value and the maximum one being 503 lei (860 lei in Botosani County, 864 lei in Giurgiu County, and 885 lei in the Vrancea County, as against 1,363 lei in the Bucharest City, 1,356 lei in Hunedoara County and 1,279 lei in Brasov County). 

By pension categories, the number of old-age pensioners was predominant (76.5pct) among social security pensioners. Early retirements and partial early retirements accounted for 2.1pct of total public pensioners.

According to INS, the total number of beneficiaries of Emergency Ordinance 6/2009 on the establishment of the minimum guaranteed social pension (currently social allowance), in the first quarter of 2018, was 812,000 persons, out of which: 662,600 public pensioners, representing 14.1pct of the total pensioners in this category; 147,800 pensioners from the former farming system, representing 42.2pct of the total, and 1,600 persons from the defence system, representing 0.9pct of the total of this category.