Old-age provision Occupational pension provision for new pensioners is smaller
In a gender comparison, the occupational pension provision of new female pensioners is significantly smaller, according to federal statistics on old-age provision from 2024. Meanwhile, men and women were in agreement when deciding between a lump-sum payment and a monthly pension.
27.11.2025, 16:31
SDA
The figures from the new retirement statistics from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show that there were also major differences between men and women in terms of the benefits they receive from occupational pension schemes last year. Of the 41,276 pensioners who received their monthly pension for the first time last year, women received an average of CHF 1,227. In comparison, the pension amount for men was CHF 2042 per month.
Similarly large differences were also observed among the 71,856 pensioners who received their occupational pension in lump-sum benefits in 2024: While an average of CHF 201,825 was paid out to men, the median amount for women was CHF 82,942.
According to the FSO, the large differences between the pension benefits received by women and men can mainly be explained by the different professional careers. The difference in salary between women and men also leads to differences in benefits.
For family reasons, women are also more likely to take career breaks or work part-time. In addition, women take on a large proportion of unpaid domestic and family work.
As a result, women in Switzerland receive significantly less money from the second pillar than men, according to the FSO. This difference in pensions, known as the gender pension gap, was last measured two years ago. At that time, the value was 31.2 percent, which corresponded to an equivalent of CHF 16,379 in 2023.
This figure has hardly changed in recent years, writes the Federal Statistical Office on its website.
New retirees prefer money to a pension
However, there has been a change in the amount of benefits drawn from occupational pension savings: Last year, both new pensioners opted for money instead of a pension. This trend, which has been ongoing for a number of years, can now be confirmed by the figures from the new retirement statistics.
