According to the Social Security Statistical Information Summary for March 2026, the average old-age pension processed by the General Scheme was 698.85 euros per month, while the average disability pension under the same scheme stood at 535.62 euros. The difference between the two averages was 163.23 euros. In total, 2,014,656 old-age pensions and 155,093 disability pensions were processed.
The average old-age pension increased by 3.9% compared to March 2025, while the average disability pension rose by 2.8% over the same period. The old-age pension is intended to compensate for the loss of income when the beneficiary reaches the legal retirement age, set in 2026 at 66 years and nine months. The disability pension requires permanent incapacity for work of a non-professional cause, certified by the Incapacity Verification System.
The breakdown by sex reveals another significant disparity. Under the General Scheme, the average old-age pension for men reached 878.43 euros, while for women it was 533.83 euros, a difference of 344.60 euros. In disability pensions, the male average was 572.06 euros and the female average was 496.18 euros, with a gap of 75.88 euros.
The article warns that it is not possible to attribute the difference between the averages to a single cause. The pension amounts depend on the reference remuneration, the overall formation rate, and the years with contribution records. A disability may arise before the worker completes a long career, interrupting the accumulation of contributions earlier. When the disability pensioner reaches retirement age, the pension is automatically converted into an old-age pension.
