Pensions for men and women among members of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK) are approaching the same level, the fund has said, with figures showing that the total paid to 62-year-olds who began drawing the new public occupational pension last year was NOK 40.9m for women and NOK 41.9m for men.

SPK noted that pensions are affected by salary levels, employment rates, and the duration of employment, and its research from the first year of the new Norwegian pension rules revealed that more people are working longer, with many waiting to take out their pension.

The figures, which include new retirement pensions and the lifelong Avtalefestet Pensjon (AFP) for employees in the state and education system in 2025, revealed that fewer SPK members are stopping work at age 62, compared to previous cohorts, with the biggest change among women.

The fund suggested that people choosing to work longer is important for the economy and also allows the individual to accrue a higher pension.

These figures provide an early picture of the effects of the pension reform in the public sector, and SPK noted that more opportunities to combine work and pension could help reduce gender differences.

SPK pension expert, Svein Rasmussen, believes both women and men should have a conscious relationship with their own pension accrual and that this should be early in their professional careers.

He noted that many people only become concerned about pensions when they are nearing the end of their working lives.

But he emphasised that individuals receiving an early overview of their pension will have better control over their finances, as they need to live on this money for many years.

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