In Valencia, four retirees out of every ten live below the poverty line, a figure that translates to more than 396,000 people facing economic hardship. The latest CC OO study highlights a troubling pattern: pensioner poverty is disproportionately affecting women, with 53 percent of women and 23 percent of men living on less than 681 euros per month. The report also points to a housing crisis, where many seniors struggle to cover housing costs and maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.
The findings were presented this Tuesday by Ana Belén Montero, secretary of Public Policy and Social Protection for CC OO PV, alongside Juan Sepúlveda and Evaristo Soto, who lead the union’s national and regional Pensioners federations, respectively. The Observatory for Senior Citizens 2022 aims to sharpen the understanding of elderly living conditions, their health status, sources of economic and social support, and the unique risks associated with aging. [Credit: CC OO PV]
Spain is one of Europe’s oldest nations, and in Valencia the impact is evident. Life expectancy at birth stands at 86 for men and 90 for women. This context matters when evaluating persistent gender gaps in pension collection and the overall fairness of retirement income. The study shows that a sizable share of retirees—38.9 percent—live below the poverty line, earning under 681 euros monthly, with women disproportionately represented in this group. Furthermore, 17.1 percent of pensioners face severe poverty, surviving on less than 458 euros, a scenario where women constitute about seven in ten of the affected individuals. [Credit: CC OO PV]
CC OO welcomes the recent agreement between unions and the central government. The accord introduces measures intended to strengthen protections and reduce the negative effects of wage gaps that ultimately influence pension outcomes. [Credit: CC OO PV]
Access to fundamental needs is another focus, with the study analyzing the energy shortfall. It reveals that 9.4 percent of the elderly stay too cold at home, while 4.4 percent encounter delays in paying major housing costs. More than 30 percent cannot cover unforeseen expenses. Evaristo Soto emphasizes that this situation drives thousands of seniors toward social exclusion, undermining health and quality of life. [Credit: CC OO PV]
Reform to reassess 89,000 minimum pensions in the Alicante region
On the reform front, Montero underscored Valencia’s need to modernize the care model, especially for residential care. Available data indicate a significant shortfall in Spain’s care infrastructure, with about 16,366 beds missing to meet a 4.3 percent target and 23,485 beds needed to reach a 5 percent standard set by the World Health Organization. Within the Valencian Community, 254 out of 234 settlements are private while only 70 are public. This gap signals the urgency of aligning care capacity with aging demographics. [Credit: CC OO PV]
The regional study also reveals that Valencia has 2.4 hospital beds per thousand residents, compared to a national average of three, and health expenditure per capita around €1,701, aligning with the overall European and national trends. [Credit: CC OO PV]
Sepúlveda calls for a clear emphasis on strengthening Primary Care and bridging the digital divide. He argues for enhanced socio-sanitary coordination, more resources, and new services such as geriatrics and psychology to better support the elderly population. [Credit: CC OO PV]
In Alicante, housing costs remain a heavy burden as residents typically dedicate a large share of their income to mortgage payments. A recent Infojobs study based on 2022 data shows the average income and housing costs driving a relief of 6.4 years of gross earnings to own a home. The average 80 square meter dwelling in Alicante is valued at €143,111, with gross annual salaries around €22,208. The result is a stark reminder that real estate remains a major life expense. Other provinces show similar patterns, with the Balearic Islands requiring the longest commitment and Jaén the shortest. In Valencia and Castellón, the time to save for a home remains notably high, underscoring regional housing affordability challenges. [Credit: CC OO PV]