Population ageing
The old rule is that data speaks.
According to the population data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, by the end of 2022, the number of elderly people aged 60 and above in mainland China exceeded 280 million, accounting for 19.8% of the total population, and the number of elderly people aged 65 and above exceeded 200 million, accounting for 14.9% of the total population.
According to the forecast of the National Health Commission, it is expected that by 2025, the total number of elderly people aged 60 and above in mainland China will exceed 300 million, and the proportion of the elderly population will reach 21.28%, and it is expected that by 2035, the elderly population aged 60 and above will exceed 400 million, and the proportion of the elderly population will exceed 30%, officially entering the stage of severe aging.
Pension status
According to the urban-rural structure, among the 280 million elderly people aged 60 and above, nearly 130 million are in rural areas, accounting for 46 percent, and 45.17 percent of the 200 million elderly people aged 65 and above are in rural areas, accounting for more than 90 million. From these two data, it is not difficult to see that the elderly population aged 60 and above in rural areas accounts for nearly 50%, and they are facing more serious pension problems.
Referring to the "2022 Statistical Communiqué on the Development of Human Resources and Social Security", it can be roughly estimated that the monthly per capita pension level of urban and rural residents' basic old-age insurance in 2022 will be 204 yuan, while the monthly per capita basic pension level of retirees participating in the basic old-age insurance for urban employees will be as high as 3,600 yuan, a difference of nearly 18 times.
In 2024, there is a high probability that pensions will "rise again"
In 2023, the basic pension level of retirees in enterprises and institutions ushered in "19 consecutive increases" as scheduled, although in terms of average increase, compared with 2022, it can also reflect the national policy to take care of the elderly.
There are 3 ways to adjust the pension:
(1) Quota adjustment: that is, retirees within the scope of adjustment will be given an additional pension per person per month according to the fixed amount, which mainly reflects the principle of fairness and justice. For example, in Shandong Province, the quota adjustment and increase for retirees of enterprises and institutions in 2023 will be 41 yuan;
(2) Linked adjustment: The additional amount of linked adjustment is mainly related to the individual's payment period and the level of the basic pension before the adjustment, taking Henan as an example, in 2023, the plan for the adjustment of retirees and individual payment years is to increase by 1.2 yuan per month for each full year of their own payment period (the payment period is less than 1 year, and the payment period is less than 15 years, and the payment period is less than 15 years, which is calculated as 15 years);
For the part of the adjustment linked to the level of personal basic pension, the adjustment method of Henan Province in 2023 is to calculate the increase according to 1.1% of my basic pension in December 2022 (the part in the overall project, excluding heating expenses for retirees of enterprises, and excluding occupational annuities for retirees of government institutions and institutions);
Taking Shaanxi as an example, the local tilt adjustment plan for 2023 is 30 yuan per person per month for those born before December 31, 1942, 20 yuan per person per month for those born between January 1, 1943 and December 31, 1947, and 10 yuan per person per month for those born between January 1, 1948 and December 31, 1952.
In order to narrow the gap between urban and rural pension levels, but also to allow the elderly aged 60 and above to truly "have support for the elderly, the old have something to rely on", in accordance with the current basic pension system, the state will comprehensively consider the level of economic development, the basic pension security needs of the elderly population, the price level, social average wages and other factors to adjust the basic pension level of retirees and urban and rural residents pension insurance benefits. Therefore, some professionals predict that the pension level will rise again in 2024.
From January, the pension of the two categories of people will be paid according to the "new standard".
(1) Retired employees who apply for retirement in January ~ December 2023 and receive a monthly pension
Recently, many places have successively announced the calculation and payment base of the basic pension for retired employees of enterprises and institutions.
For example, the Anhui Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security issued the "Notice on Announcing the Basic Pension Calculation and Payment Base for Retirees in 2023", which clarifies that the basic pension calculation and payment base of retirees in Anhui Province in 2023 will be 7,688 yuan/month, an increase of 287 yuan/month compared with 2022;
For another example, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security and the Department of Finance issued the "Notice on Announcing the Basic Pension Calculation and Payment Base for Urban Employees in Guangdong Province in 2023", clarifying that the calculation and payment base of the basic pension for retirees in Guangdong Province (except Shenzhen) in 2023 is 9,028 yuan/month, an increase of 346 yuan/month compared with 2022.
After the adjustment of the pension calculation and payment base, retired employees of enterprises and institutions who apply for retirement in 2023 and receive a basic pension on a monthly basis will usher in a recalculation of the difference, and will be paid to the account one after another. It is worth mentioning that from January 2024, retirees will calculate the temporary pension benefits according to the pension calculation and payment base in 2023 until the pension calculation and payment base is announced in 2024, and then recalculate the difference. It can be seen that with the adjustment of the pension calculation base, the pension of retirees has also risen.
(2) Recipients of basic old-age insurance benefits for urban and rural residents in some provinces
As of January 3, 2024, Fujian Province first announced the provincial standard for the basic pension of urban and rural residents in 2024, and from January 1, 2024, the provincial standard for the basic pension of basic pension insurance for urban and rural residents will be increased again, from the current 150 yuan per person per month to 160 yuan per person per month.
Taking an urban and rural resident pension insurance recipient in Fujian as an example, it is assumed that he will reach the age of 60 in January 2024 and have a personal account storage amount of 50,000 yuan. Then the minimum standard of the basic pension can be calculated.
(1) Basic pension = 160 yuan/person/month
(2) Personal account pension = 50,000÷139 = 359.7 yuan/person/month
The sum of the two results in a minimum standard of 519.7 yuan/month for the basic pension of the recipients.
epilogue
In general, whether it is a retired employee of an enterprise or an institution or a recipient of basic pension insurance benefits for urban and rural residents, in 2024 or will usher in another round of increase in the amount of pension payments, and with the rise of pensions, life in old age is destined to be more secure! Moreover, it is necessary to remind everyone that if you want your pension level to rise higher, the most effective and feasible measure at present is to increase the payment grade of basic pension insurance and extend the payment period within the scope of economic conditions.
Source: Huinong Little Helper