Denmark is Preparing to Raise the Official Retirement Age to 70

On July 8, 2025, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced during a European Parliament session in Strasbourg that Denmark will adopt a retirement age of 70 for those born after December 31, 1970. This change applies to people who will turn 69 in 2040 and beyond. Denmark is the eighth country to hold the EU Presidency, which it will do until December 31, 2025.

Many Western countries face aging populations that strain pension systems. Denmark has linked its retirement age to life expectancy since 2006, revising it every five years.

Currently, the basic public pension is 7,198 Danish crowns (about 968 euros in 2025). The age at which retirees can first claim this pension depends on their life expectancy.

In addition, there are supplementary pension schemes, including mandatory and optional ones.

Kirsten Evans, a 53-year-old bank manager born on January 12, 1972, plans to retire before reaching 70.

She considers 70 “old” and believes people should enjoy their retirement after decades of work.

Although she aims to retire around 65 or 66 with her supplementary pension, she finds it hard to plan so far ahead.

In Denmark, few people work until the official retirement age. In 2022, the average retirement age was about 64, while the legal age was 67, according to the OECD.

Ethnologist Aske Juul Lassen from the University of Copenhagen explained that about 80% of retirees could have worked longer, but 20% stop due to health issues or difficulty finding employment.

She warned that raising the retirement age further could increase inequalities, favoring those with enough personal funds to retire early while others are forced out due to physical exhaustion or health problems.

Many workers, especially those in physically demanding jobs, already retire earlier than the official age.

Damoun Ashournia, chief economist for the union federation FH, notes that two-thirds of members retire before 67 because of exhaustion.

Camilla Rasmussen, a 37-year-old nurse at a Copenhagen hospital, doubts she can work until age 70, citing the physical toll of walking around 10,000 steps daily and concern for patient care if she remains in her role that long.

Economist Ashournia views the increase to 70 as reasonable to ensure the sustainability of Denmark’s welfare system.

With an aging population and rising life expectancy, maintaining current public services requires securing government finances.

However, he warned that the retirement age should not continue to rise every five years as currently planned.

Without changes, projections suggested that retirement age could reach 74 by 2070, a move supported by Denmark’s business leaders who see it as a practical way to keep the system stable.

Last summer, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, 47, indicated she is open to revising the plan once the retirement age hits 70.

She stated that automatic increases are no longer certain. The FH union is suggesting limiting future increases to only six months per additional year of life expectancy, following expert recommendations, to prevent excessive hardship on workers.

Source: Le Mauricien