Taking better account of disadvantaged people in pension rules: what approaches might be considered?

The debates surrounding pension reforms in France – and the one that took place in connection with the law passed in 2023 is no exception – often highlight a paradox. The situation of the most disadvantaged people is frequently cited, either to promote certain aspects of the reform or, conversely, to criticise its most harmful aspects. Despite this emphasis, however, the concrete measures or demands that are subsequently drawn from it are generally designed for career profiles that ultimately have little relevance to these people. The issue of how the most disadvantaged are taken into account in pension rules thus appears to feature much more prominently in the general public debate than it does in the practical technical discussions on changes to these rules. At the request of the Chair of the National Council for Policies to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion (CNLE), I have therefore drafted a paper aimed at contributing to this technical discussion, by presenting findings on how the French pension system currently takes into account (to varying degrees) the reality of the working lives of the most disadvantaged people, and by discussing some possible avenues for improvement. These reflections are intended as an introduction to the debate. This Blog post summarises the main points, whilst the full paper can be downloaded here.