A total 38 per cent of people aged between 50 and 69 received a pension last year, the National Statistics Office said.

It said in a statement 22 per cent of those aged 50-59, 65 per cent of those aged 60-64, and 73 per cent of persons aged 65-69 were pension beneficiaries.

Of those aged between 50 and 69 who were employed, only 13 per cent received a pension. Eighty-six per cent were inactive.

The mean age at which persons started receiving a pension was 57. Of all pension beneficiaries aged between 50 and 69, 40 per cent stated they had retired before reaching retirement age. A total 31 per cent of the target population stated they wished to stay longer in employment.

Previous employment for pension beneficiaries in the 50-69 age bracket was mainly in industry (35 per cent, including manufacturing and construction.

As to occupations, skilled manual jobs (including carpenters, farmers and drivers) were predominant among male beneficiaries in the target group (37 per cent), while low-skilled non-manual jobs (including clerks and salespersons) were more prevalent among female workers (46 per cent).

In terms of entitlement, the majority, or 91 per cent, of men who did not receive any form of statutory old-age pension at the time of the survey, perceived that they were entitled to such a pension.

This figure for women was 24 per cent.

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