This is an unexpected consequence of the abandonment of the Government’s finance bill: pensions and allowances will be increased from the start of 2025. Excellent news for the millions of French people concerned.
If the censorship of Michel Barnier’s government has agitated the French political class for several days, it has numerous practical consequences, particularly in economic terms. However, this event will have positive effects on one category of the population: the elderly. And more particularly, retirees. Indeed, as the Social Security budget was rejected by the National Assembly, certain unfavorable measures envisaged by the project, such as the under-indexation of retirement pensions, will not be applied!
Therefore, on January 1, 2025, all retirement pensions will benefit from a small increase. They will be revalued by 2.2%, a figure in line with inflation over the last twelve months, according to the rules set by the Social Security Code. A modest revaluation, but higher than that of the initial project with a symbolic increase of 0.8% on January 1 for all retirees and another of 0.8% on July 1 for retirees below the minimum wage.
For retirees, this increase represents a moderate gain: on average, a gross pension of 814 euros will be increased by 18 euros per month. This amount may seem modest, but it is far from negligible for those who mainly rely on their retirement to survive. Pensions are often paid in arrears, which means that the actual increase will be received from February, with the payment of the January pension. Good news for all retirees, especially those on a tight budget.
But another financial aid will also increase at the beginning of 2025: the Solidarity Allowance for the Elderly (ASPA). This “minimum old age” will also be increased by 2.2%, from January 1. It will thus increase from 1,012.02 euros to 1,034.28 euros per month for a single person. Couples are not left out: their allowance will be increased to reach an amount of 1,605.74 euros monthly. This measure concerns nearly 700,000 beneficiaries in France, mainly people aged over 65.
Although these figures may seem modest, they are part of a trend to adjust social assistance and pensions according to inflation. For older people whose income is often very limited, this increase offers protection against rising prices, particularly for basic necessities. Indeed, with inflation which has affected several essential sectors such as food and energy, even small increases can make a big difference in their daily lives.