The average retirement age in the Netherlands increased again last year, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports. In 2025, over 100,000 employees retired at an average age of 66 years and 4 months, more than 2.5 months later than in 2024.
The rise is partly due to fewer people leaving work before the state pension age. In 2025, 40 percent of employees retired before turning 67, down from 46 percent a year earlier. Of those who retired, 45 percent were women, who on average stepped out of the workforce five months earlier than men.
The average retirement age crossed 66 in 2024, the same year in which the pension age was increased to 67. In that year, 40 percent of the retirees were exactly 67 years old. The year before, only 6 percent were 67. This shows that more Dutch workers are now waiting until the full state pension age to retire.
The rising retirement age helps keep the pension system affordable, but it also calls for better support for women, freelancers, and workers in tough jobs, so working longer does not harm their financial security.
For women, retiring later does not automatically mean equal pensions, as they often have lower lifetime earnings and more part‑time work, which can widen the pension gap with men. Freelancers usually retire later, but many have weak pension savings, so higher retirement ages can leave them with too little income.
@anp | NEWSBRAINPORT
