Statistics on Contributory Pensions. Contributory Social Security Pensions and Pensioners. 2023

In 2023 in Catalonia there were 1,541,323 pensioners receiving contributory Social Security pensions, a figure 0.2% higher than the previous year. The number of pensioners went up in most counties and fell in 11. The highest increases were in El Moianès (2.4%), Aran (2.1%) and El Baix Penedès (1.9%), in addition to El Solsonès, which registered the highest increase (11.9%) due to municipalities added to the county in 2023.

By municipalities of more than 20,000 inhabitants, the ones with the highest percentage increase in the number of pensioners were Salou, Calafell and Sant Quirze del Vallès (3.3%, 2.8% and 2.6%, respectively).

The counties with the highest proportion of contributory pensioners out of the total population, which for Catalonia as a whole was 19.5%, were El Berguedà (27.7%), El Ripollès (27.3%), La Terra Alta (27.1%), El Lluçanès (26.3%) and Les Garrigues (25.1%), while those with the lowest proportion were La Cerdanya (14.5%), Aran (15.1%) and L’Alt Empordà (15.8%). In municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, Esplugues de Llobregat (23.4%), Igualada (22.2%) and Manresa (22.1%) had the highest percentages of pensioners, while the municipalities with the lowest percentages were Salou (13.1%) and Lloret de Mar (13.4%).

The average amount received by pensioners in December rose by 1.3% compared to 2022 to stand at 1,437 euros. El Barcelonès was still the county where the average gross amount received by Social Security contributory pensioners on 31 December 2023 was the highest in Catalonia at 1,548 euros, followed by El Tarragonès (1,481 euros) and El Baix Llobregat (1,474 euros). By contrast, residents in La Terra Alta received the lowest amount (1,043 euros) followed by those in Les Garrigues and El Montsià.

In municipalities with 20,000 or more inhabitants, Sant Cugat del Vallès was the municipality where contributory pensioners received the highest average amount at 1,753 euros per month, followed by Sant Quirze del Vallès (1,721 euros) and Sant Just Desvern (1,668 euros), whilst Lloret de Mar (1,157 euros), Amposta (1,177 euros) and Palafrugell (1,215 euros) were the municipalities where this amount was the lowest.

By sex, 51.9% of pensioners in 2023 were women and 48.1% were men. There was a gender difference of 406 euros in the average pension received, since it was 1,247 euros for women and 1,643 euros for men.

By contribution regimes, the average pension under the general regime for Catalonia was 1,348 euros, while the average pension under the special regime for self-employed workers (RETA) was 865 euros. The two counties with the lowest average pensions considering all regimes also had the highest share of RETA pensions: La Terra Alta at 56.6% and Les Garrigues at 47.1% (higher than the 18.4% for Catalonia as a whole).