Istat: one pensioner out of 8 with less than 500 euros a month

The number of pensioners is decreasing, but above all their average income is decreasing. According to the latest Istat data, more than one pensioner out of eight receives less than 500 euros a month: in 2011 there were 16,7 million pensioners, about 38 fewer than in 2010. On average, each of them receives (taking into account that, in some cases, the same pensioner can also count on more than one pension) 15.957 euros a year, 486 euros more than in 2010. However, the figure that stands out is, like in 2011, almost half of the pensioners, around 7,4 million, 44,1% of the total received pension income for a monthly amount of less than 1.000 euros. For 2,2 million (13,3%) the benefits do not exceed 500 euros. As regards age, 27,8% of pensioners in 2011 were under 65, 49,2% were between 65 and 79, 23% were over 80. Women represented in 2011, 52,9% of pensioners received checks for an average amount of 13.228 euros, against 19.022 euros for men). Not only. More than half of the women (53,4%) received less than a thousand euros a month, compared to about a third (33,6%) of the men. In 2011, total pension expenditure grew year-on-year by 2,9% to €265,963 billion. An increase due to the increase in the average amount of services provided, equal to 3,2%. Old-age pensions absorb 71,6% of total pension expenditure, survivors' pensions 14,7%, invalidity pensions 4,2%. ] The number of pensioners is decreasing. But more than one in eight retirees receives less than 500 euros a month. The figure comes from Istat which reports that in 2011 there were 16,7 million pensioners, about 38 thousand less than in 2010. On average, each of them receives (taking into account that, in some cases, the same pensioner can also count on more than one pension) 15.957 euros per year, 486 euros more than in 2010.