A study by the DataPulse platform shows that state pensions cover the real expenses of pensioners in only four European countries: Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland and Spain. The analysis compared spending by over-60s, at 2023 prices, with average gross state pensions in over 30 countries. The UK was not included as it dropped out of Eurostat data after Brexit. But official British figures tell a similar story.
The four surplus countries
According to DataPulse Romania records the best result. Pensions exceed expenses by 21%, followed by the Czech Republic (+18%), Poland (+4%) and Spain (+3%). In Bulgaria and Denmark, the difference is below 10%. In the rest of Europe, including Germany, pensioners do not cover their expenses from the state pension.
Romania’s “first place”.
Any Romanian in the diaspora knows that pensioners in the country do not live well. So how do you explain “first place”? In that the study compares two small numbers. In Romania, pensions and expenses are among the lowest in Europe. The ratio is good because both are starting from a low level, not because retirees are doing well.
CNPP data confirm. In October 2025, the average pension in Romania was 2,775 lei, approximately 555 euros per month. For former agricultural workers, the average drops to 720 lei.
The study draws attention: a surplus of pensions over spending does not automatically mean the absence of poverty, just as no deficit guarantees it. In Norway, Slovakia and Luxembourg, the state pension is below average spending, but the poverty rate among pensioners remains low. These systems are not built with the state pension as the only source of income. It rests on the second and third pillars: occupational pensions and private savings. Romania appears at the top of the statistical ranking, but without a solid complementary system, today’s surplus remains fragile.
Germany: a deficit of 9,500 euros per year
In Germany, the average gross annual pension was €19,138 in 2023. The average expenditure of a single pensioner over 60 rose to €28,663, a difference of around €9,500 per year. The deficit puts Germany at 33%, meaning pensions cover two-thirds of the real cost of living. The situation is more difficult in Croatia, with a deficit of 40% of average expenditure, followed by Slovenia (39%), Hungary (38%) and Norway (37%). In total, 24 European countries are classified as “deficit countries”. According to the study, in these systems pensioners have to cover more than a third of their living expenses from other sources, from savings, private pensions or help from family.
The structure of expenses is similar throughout Europe. In Germany, housing, utilities and food consume 45% of a pensioner’s budget. Transport, leisure and culture are 11% each, health 6%, furniture and maintenance 5%. Education is almost completely lacking.
And it’s the same in Great Britain
From April 2026, the new UK state pension rises to £241.30 a week, or £12,548 a year, according to the House of Commons Library. The full pension is taken after 35 years of National Insurance contributions, according to gov.uk.
Retirement Living Standards, the benchmark used by the British financial industry, says a single retiree needs £14,400 a year for a minimum standard of living. In other words, even the full state pension is not enough.
For a Romanian who collects 15 years of contributions in the UK, the British pension is calculated proportionally. The full amount divided by 35, multiplied by 15. It comes out to about 103 pounds per week, so about 5,400 pounds per year. Less than half the minimum considered decent for a single pensioner here.
The years worked in the UK are taken into account in Romania
In practice: a Romanian with 15 years of National Insurance contributions and 10 years of service in Romania will receive two pensions, one British and one Romanian, each proportional to the years worked. The application is submitted once, to the pension house in the country where you live in retirement.
What can Romanian employees in the UK do
Three concrete steps help those aged between 40 and 55, with years of work in both countries:
Checking your National Insurance history is done on gov.uk in the “Check your State Pension forecast” section. Qualifying years and future pension estimate appear.
Class 3 voluntary contributions cover gaps from the previous six tax years. The deadline is April 5 each year.
Documents from Romania must be kept. Work book for the periods before April 1, 2001, certificates from former employers. Without them, the years in the country cannot be totaled.
What remains
The state pension, British or Romanian, is not enough for a decent living. It is a base. The rest is built up from the workplace pension (workplace pension, to which employers in the UK are obliged to enroll their employees through self-enrolment) or from personal savings.
The retirement age in the UK is now 66. It increases to 67 between 2026 and 2028, then to 68 between 2044 and 2046. In Romania, the standard age is 65.
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