The gender pension gap across Europe remains one of the most persistent forms of economic inequality, leaving women with substantially lower retirement income despite decades of progress on workplace equality. Across European countries, women receive on average around 22% less in pensions than men, a gap that is nearly double the gender pay gap recorded during working life.

Data analysed by Euronews shows the gender pension gap across Europe varies widely between countries. In nations such as the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, and Luxembourg, the gap exceeds 30%, meaning women receive barely two-thirds of the pension income men earn. By contrast, countries including Estonia, Denmark, Slovenia, and Iceland report gaps below 10%, highlighting how pension system design and labour policies strongly influence outcomes.

The disparity reflects cumulative disadvantages rather than a single cause. Lower average wages, higher rates of part-time work, and interruptions linked to caregiving all feed into the gender pension gap across Europe. When women step away from paid work to raise children or care for relatives, pension contributions slow or stop entirely, creating deficits that compound over decades.

Private and occupational pensions further widen the divide. In countries where retirement income relies heavily on employer-based schemes, women are less likely to accumulate sufficient savings because of reduced working hours and lower lifetime earnings. This structural imbalance helps explain why the gender pension gap across Europe is often most significant in wealthier economies with multi-pillar pension systems.

The timing of inequality is also revealing. Researchers note that the pension gap typically emerges after childbirth and continues to expand through mid-career. Reduced promotion opportunities and slower wage growth limit both public pension entitlements and private savings, reinforcing the gender pension gap across Europe well before retirement age.

There are signs of improvement. The average gap has narrowed since the late 2000s, falling from close to 30% to just over 20%. Reforms in countries such as Germany, Greece, and Slovenia have contributed to this decline by strengthening minimum pensions and recognising caregiving periods. Even so, progress remains uneven, and demographic ageing risks slowing further convergence.

Targeted reforms could accelerate change. More generous pension credits for caregiving, automatic pension-sharing between partners during parental leave, and more substantial incentives for full-time re-entry after career breaks could reduce the gender pension gap across Europe more effectively than pay-equity measures alone. Digital pension dashboards that project retirement income early in a career could also highlight gaps, allowing time to adjust contributions.

Ultimately, the gender pension gap across Europe reflects how social policy values unpaid work. Until care responsibilities are more evenly shared and fully recognised within pension systems, women across the continent are likely to continue retiring with significantly less financial security than men.