The three best pension systems in the world are those of Iceland, the Netherlands and Denmark. These countries were given A scores of 8 points or up.
Market research bureau Mercer annually compares pension systems all over the world. Last year, the Dutch pension system was at the top of the list. This year it's in second position, after Iceland. The average score among the 43 countries surveyed was 61 points. The Dutch pension system scored 83.3 points. Iceland achieved a score of 84.2 points, slightly higher than the Netherlands, because fewer people have outstanding debts in Iceland.
What’s good about the Dutch pension system?
In 2022, many pension funds saw their financial position improve. The Dutch pension system also scored well because it is based on three ‘pillars’:
- A base pension provided by the state (AOW).
- A supplementary pension provided by the employer, such as ING.
- Additional options for setting aside your own pension savings.
And yet, a new system
Despite being one of the best in the world, the Dutch pension system is going to be changed. One of the reasons is that pensions cannot always be increased to keep up with inflation when the economy is doing well – the government's current regulations don't allow it. Moreover, the Dutch population is ageing and life expectancy is rising. Watch this video produced by the government explaining the new regulations.
