The take-up of disability pensions based on earnings at the start of a person’s career

This article analyses the link between earnings at the start of a career and the risk of becoming a recipient of a disability pension at different ages, using the cross-scheme samples of contributors (EIC, 2009–2017). For men, we identify a marked gradient: the risk of disability is 1.5 times higher for those in the bottom deciles compared with the median, and 2.5 times lower for those in the top decile. This gradient, which is less pronounced among women, persists after controlling for socio-occupational and health characteristics at the start of their careers, although it is then somewhat attenuated. Inequalities in disability are particularly pronounced at ages when disability is still relatively rare (between 40 and 50 years of age) and have become more pronounced over recent generations, particularly for men. The probability of receiving an early disability pension therefore appears to be a relevant indicator of health inequalities.