Pension Increases
To ensure that the purchasing power of pensions remains intact, they are multiplied by the statutory adjustment factor on 1 January of each year.
The adjustment factor is based on a reference value. The reference value for pension adjustments is set in such a way, that the increase in pensions corresponds to the rise of consumer prices.
The reference value for 2023 has been set at 1.058. However, in 2023 the pension adjustment will deviate from the reference value. Hereby the Austrian Parliament followed a government proposal.
The 2023 pension adjustment is based on the total pension amount, which a person receives from the statutory pension system (e.g. a person receives a person for him/herself and a survivors pension, then these two pensions are added and that is the total pension amount):
The total pension amount will be increased in the year 2023 if:
- the total pension amount is not higher than € 5.670 per month, by 5,8%;
- it is higher than € 5.670 per month, by € 328,86.
The average increase of the consumer prices, which underlies the calculation of the adjustment factor, amounted 5,8 per cent.
Direct payment 2023
Additionally to the pension increase in March 2023 pensioners with small and medium pensions will receive a direct payment (lump sum) in order to offer a relief in times of above average price increases.
Key is the total pension amount, as it is in the pension increase 2023.
The amount of the direct payment is shown in the following table, where the pension amount on the left column corresponds with the entitlement to a direct payment in the right column.
Not more than € 1.666,66 | 30% of the total pension amount |
Higher than € 1.666,66 up to € 2.000 | € 500 |
For more than € 2.000 up to € 2.500 | An amount, which declines linear from € 500 to € 0. |