Labour market status between the 65th birthday and state pension age: differences between educational groups

“Increasing the state pension age hits lower educated the hardest, especially women”

Between 2012 and 2024, the Dutch state pension age is gradually increasing from 65 to 67 years. After 2024, any further increase will be based on the population’s average life expectancy at age 65. However, this new policy fails to consider differences between educational groups and how easily they reach the higher state pension age without experiencing unemployment, work disability or no income from work, pension or benefit. This study explores such differences after the stepwise increase in pension age from 65 to 66 between 2013 and 2018. And it identifies who was hit hardest by this measure.