Go into the gap: average payments to working pensioners increased by 150 rubles

The average old-age insurance pension for working pensioners in the first three months of this year increased by 150 rubles, to 22 thousand, Izvestia found out. These are the first results of indexing, which has been resumed since 2025. At the same time, the average charges grew even faster a year earlier. In addition, the gap between government support for workers and unemployed citizens is still quite large. And in order to maintain a decent standard of living for the elderly, it is still more profitable to continue working, since pensions do not allow them to sufficiently compensate for lost earnings. How to save for old age and how the government is trying to improve this mechanism — in the material of Izvestia.

How old-age pensions have changed after the indexation in 2025

As of April 1, the average old-age pension for working Russians was 22 thousand rubles, according to the unified interdepartmental information and statistical system (EMISS — coordinated by Rosstat). Izvestia studied the data. We are talking about accrued funds: receipts are summed up and divided by the number of recipients. In fact, the money that goes to a particular citizen may vary — they depend on the length of service, accumulated pension points and the region.

For example, at the beginning of 2025, the highest payments for working pensioners were in Chukotka (34.5 thousand), and the lowest in Kabardino—Balkaria (almost 19.4 thousand). Three months later, they increased slightly — by 71 rubles and 18 rubles, respectively.

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In the first three months, workers' pensions increased by only 150 rubles, according to the EMISS data, despite the fact that indexation has been resumed for them since this year (support for all pensioners has been increased by 9.5% since 2025).

Prior to that, since 2016, such payments had not been increased by the amount of inflation. Nevertheless, in the first quarter of last year, the average accrued pensions of workers increased by 300 rubles. In 2024, payments increased more dynamically, because then the first steps were taken to equalize conditions for working and non-working pensioners, explained Vladimir Chernov, analyst at Freedom Finance Global. Since last year, the fixed part of pensions has been increased for workers, the cost of the individual pension coefficient has been increased (the amount of accrual is calculated using it) and the conditions for calculating additional points for work after retirement have been improved.

Izvestia sent inquiries to the Ministry of Labor and the SFR.

Is it profitable to work in retirement

Despite the resumption of indexation and other steps to equalize conditions for older people, the difference in payments to working and non-working pensioners is still large. By April 1, 2025, unemployed senior citizens were charged an average of 25.8 thousand rubles, according to EMISS data. However, their support grew even more slowly — by only 55 rubles in three months.

Thus, the difference between payments to employees and non-employees by April 1 amounted to almost 3.8 thousand. The gap in the first quarter decreased by only 100 rubles. For comparison, over the same period last year, it decreased by 300 rubles.

— For those who retired during the period of the indexation moratorium and continued to work, the amount of payments will still be less than for those who initially stopped working. This will last until citizens stop working and go on a well—deserved rest — then they will be paid to the level that could be, taking into account all the missed indexations," explained Viktor Lyashok, senior researcher at the INSAP Center of the IPEI Presidential Academy.

The expert added: the gap narrows twice a year: in January after the indexation of pensions and in August after recalculating working pensioners and taking into account their accumulated coefficients over the past 12 months. Between these periods, changes in the difference in pension amounts are related only to changes in the composition of those who work and those who do not, Viktor Lyashok added.

Vladimir Chernov, analyst at Freedom Finance Global, is confident that by the end of 2025, the difference in pay between those who work and those who do not will not decrease much. He added: if the authorities do not take additional measures to compensate for the accumulated indexation for the period from 2016 to 2024, then such a gap in payments will not completely disappear in the coming years.

How much do Russians lose when they retire

For many elderly people, continuing to work is necessary to maintain a habitual lifestyle — a pension alone may not be enough for this, says Olga Belenkaya from Finam. She added: The ratio of the average pension to salary is significantly lower than recommended by the International Labour Organization (at least 40%) and tends to decrease against the background of faster wage growth, especially in the last three years.

As Izvestia wrote earlier, in Russia at the end of 2024, the average old-age pension was 25 thousand rubles, and the salary was 86 thousand. Accordingly, when elderly people reach old age, they receive from the state less than a third (29%) of the earnings they could receive if they worked, the National Association of Non-Governmental Pension Funds (NAPF) has calculated.

Nevertheless, if pensioners have the opportunity and desire, then it is more profitable for them to work — the standard of living of working elderly people does not decrease, says Lyudmila Ivanova-Shvets, associate professor of the basic Department of Human Resources Management at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. In addition, the labor market with a shortage of labor contributes to the maintenance of labor activity — now employers are much more willing to keep employees of pre-retirement and retirement age.

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A state pension does not allow for a comfortable standard of living, so a personal financial strategy becomes a key element in preparing for a well-deserved vacation, says Vladimir Chernov from Freedom Finance Global.

— To ensure a decent old age, it is important to start accumulating savings as early as possible. This may include participation in corporate pension programs, opening individual investment accounts (IIS), regular investments in conservative instruments such as federal loan bonds (OFZ), dividend stocks, bank deposits, or rental-income real estate. It is advisable to start planning savings in such a way that by retirement you can receive a passive income comparable to at least 50-60% of your last salary," believes Vladimir Chernov.

In addition, a new state program for long-term savings has been launched since 2024, Olga Belenkaya from Finam reminded. So far, it is not in significant demand: over the past year, the authorities failed to implement a plan to raise funds for this tool, Izvestia wrote.

However, the Ministry of Finance is trying to refine the tool and make it more attractive. Among the initiatives is to provide incentives for employers to participate in the formation of employees' retirement savings. This is necessary in order to take into account employers' savings contributions under the long-term savings program (LDS) as part of income tax expenses.