The bar charts above compares average retirement ages of men and women in six different countries in 2004 and 2008.
Overall, retirement ages increased slightly in most countries between 2004 and 2008. Men consistently retired later than women, while Sweden recorded the highest figures throughout, in contrast to France and Italy, which remained the lowest.
In 2004, Sweden recorded the highest retirement age of men at around 63, which rose to 64 in 2008. A similiar upward pattern was seen in the Netherlands and the UK, which figures from 62 to 63 and 61 to 62, respectively. Denmark also experienced a slight rise, climbing from roughly 60 to 61. In contrast, France and Italy remained at the lower end, with retirement ages staying below 60 and showing only minimal increases over the period.
A comparable pattern also can be observed among women. Sweden continued to have the highest retirement age, increasing slightly from 63 to 64. Denmark and the Netherlands also saw gradual rises, with figures reaching 61 in 2008, while the UK followed a similar trend at slightly lower level. On the other hand, France and Italy remained the lowest, with retirement age only showing below 60 and experiencing only negligible changes.