WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Are there income protections for the elderly?

This map shows whether the elderly are entitled to pensions.

This map shows whether the government provides a contributory pension, a non-contributory pension, or both for the elderly.

Contributory pensions are a benefit that individuals are entitled to when they have paid into the country’s social insurance, social assistance, provident fund, or equivalent system. Benefits are often determined based on the individual’s prior level of earnings.

Non-contributory pensions are benefits that individuals are entitled to without having paid into a retirement fund. Benefits are usually a fixed amount meant to ensure a minimum level of income for the elderly.

No government pensions means that the government does not provide any kind of contributory or non-contributory old-age benefit.

Contributory pensions only means that only individuals who have paid into the government retirement system are entitled to receive benefits. Depending on the country, workers in the informal economy may not have access to contributory pensions.

Non-contributory pensions only means that the government only provides a non-contributory benefit to the elderly.

Both contributory and non-contributory means that the government provides a contributory and a non-contributory old age benefit. In these cases, the non-contributory pension often acts as a safety net to ensure that all individuals receive a minimum level of income support in old age.

Countries

Afghanistan - No government pensions

Bhutan - No government pensions

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No government pensions

Eritrea - No government pensions

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - No government pensions

Malawi - No government pensions

Myanmar - No government pensions

Somalia - No government pensions

Albania - Contributory pensions only

Algeria - Contributory pensions only

Andorra - Contributory pensions only

Angola - Contributory pensions only

Austria - Contributory pensions only

Bahrain - Contributory pensions only

Benin - Contributory pensions only

Burkina Faso - Contributory pensions only

Burundi - Contributory pensions only

Cambodia - Contributory pensions only

Cameroon - Contributory pensions only

Cabo Verde - Contributory pensions only

Central African Republic - Contributory pensions only

Chad - Contributory pensions only

China - Contributory pensions only

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Contributory pensions only

Republic of the Congo - Contributory pensions only

Cote d'Ivoire - Contributory pensions only

Croatia - Contributory pensions only

Czech Republic - Contributory pensions only

Djibouti - Contributory pensions only

Dominica - Contributory pensions only

Ecuador - Contributory pensions only

Egypt - Contributory pensions only

El Salvador - Contributory pensions only

Equatorial Guinea - Contributory pensions only

Ethiopia - Contributory pensions only

Fiji - Contributory pensions only

Gabon - Contributory pensions only

The Gambia - Contributory pensions only

Ghana - Contributory pensions only

Grenada - Contributory pensions only

Guinea - Contributory pensions only

Haiti - Contributory pensions only

Honduras - Contributory pensions only

Indonesia - Contributory pensions only

Iran - Contributory pensions only

Japan - Contributory pensions only

Jordan - Contributory pensions only

Kenya - Contributory pensions only

Kiribati - Contributory pensions only

Kuwait - Contributory pensions only

Laos - Contributory pensions only

Lebanon - Contributory pensions only

Libya - Contributory pensions only

Liechtenstein - Contributory pensions only

Luxembourg - Contributory pensions only

Madagascar - Contributory pensions only

Malaysia - Contributory pensions only

Mali - Contributory pensions only

Marshall Islands - Contributory pensions only

Mauritania - Contributory pensions only

Micronesia, Federated States of - Contributory pensions only

Montenegro - Contributory pensions only

Morocco - Contributory pensions only

Niger - Contributory pensions only

Nigeria - Contributory pensions only

Oman - Contributory pensions only

Palau - Contributory pensions only

Papua New Guinea - Contributory pensions only

Paraguay - Contributory pensions only

Peru - Contributory pensions only

Rwanda - Contributory pensions only

Sao Tome and Principe - Contributory pensions only

Saudi Arabia - Contributory pensions only

Senegal - Contributory pensions only

Sierra Leone - Contributory pensions only

Singapore - Contributory pensions only

Slovakia - Contributory pensions only

Solomon Islands - Contributory pensions only

Sri Lanka - Contributory pensions only

Sudan - Contributory pensions only

Syria - Contributory pensions only

Tanzania - Contributory pensions only

Thailand - Contributory pensions only

Togo - Contributory pensions only

Tunisia - Contributory pensions only

Türkiye - Contributory pensions only

Tuvalu - Contributory pensions only

Uganda - Contributory pensions only

Vanuatu - Contributory pensions only

Yemen - Contributory pensions only

Zambia - Contributory pensions only

Bangladesh - Non-contributory pensions only

Botswana - Non-contributory pensions only

Lesotho - Non-contributory pensions only

New Zealand - Non-contributory pensions only

South Africa - Non-contributory pensions only

Timor-Leste - Non-contributory pensions only

Antigua and Barbuda - Both contributory and non-contributory

Argentina - Both contributory and non-contributory

Armenia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Australia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Azerbaijan - Both contributory and non-contributory

Bahamas - Both contributory and non-contributory

Barbados - Both contributory and non-contributory

Belarus - Both contributory and non-contributory

Belgium - Both contributory and non-contributory

Belize - Both contributory and non-contributory

Bolivia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Brazil - Both contributory and non-contributory

Brunei - Both contributory and non-contributory

Bulgaria - Both contributory and non-contributory

Canada - Both contributory and non-contributory

Chile - Both contributory and non-contributory

Colombia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Costa Rica - Both contributory and non-contributory

Cuba - Both contributory and non-contributory

Cyprus - Both contributory and non-contributory

Denmark - Both contributory and non-contributory

Dominican Republic - Both contributory and non-contributory

Estonia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Finland - Both contributory and non-contributory

France - Both contributory and non-contributory

Georgia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Germany - Both contributory and non-contributory

Greece - Both contributory and non-contributory

Guatemala - Both contributory and non-contributory

Guyana - Both contributory and non-contributory

Hungary - Both contributory and non-contributory

Iceland - Both contributory and non-contributory

India - Both contributory and non-contributory

Ireland - Both contributory and non-contributory

Israel - Both contributory and non-contributory

Italy - Both contributory and non-contributory

Jamaica - Both contributory and non-contributory

Kazakhstan - Both contributory and non-contributory

Republic of Korea - Both contributory and non-contributory

Kyrgyzstan - Both contributory and non-contributory

Latvia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Liberia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Lithuania - Both contributory and non-contributory

North Macedonia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Malta - Both contributory and non-contributory

Mauritius - Both contributory and non-contributory

Mexico - Both contributory and non-contributory

Moldova - Both contributory and non-contributory

Monaco - Both contributory and non-contributory

Nepal - Both contributory and non-contributory

The Netherlands - Both contributory and non-contributory

Norway - Both contributory and non-contributory

Panama - Both contributory and non-contributory

The Philippines - Both contributory and non-contributory

Portugal - Both contributory and non-contributory

Russian Federation - Both contributory and non-contributory

Samoa - Both contributory and non-contributory

Seychelles - Both contributory and non-contributory

Slovenia - Both contributory and non-contributory

Spain - Both contributory and non-contributory

St. Kitts and Nevis - Both contributory and non-contributory

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Both contributory and non-contributory

Eswatini - Both contributory and non-contributory

Sweden - Both contributory and non-contributory

Switzerland - Both contributory and non-contributory

Trinidad and Tobago - Both contributory and non-contributory

Turkmenistan - Both contributory and non-contributory

Ukraine - Both contributory and non-contributory

United Kingdom - Both contributory and non-contributory

United States of America - Both contributory and non-contributory

Uruguay - Both contributory and non-contributory

Uzbekistan - Both contributory and non-contributory

Venezuela - Both contributory and non-contributory

Zimbabwe - Both contributory and non-contributory