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A study by the Chamber of Deputies’ has revealed a gap in life expectancy for pensioners due to income

Two studies, two methodologies, two conclusions. All of it feeds into a final debate on the relationship between life expectancy and pensions. Unlike the study carried out by the General Inspectorate of Social Security, the one produced by the Chamber of Deputies' scientific unit, commissioned by MP Marc Baum, concludes that there are indeed differences in the life expectancy of pensioners in Luxembourg. Marc Baum of Déi Lénk (The Left) explained that these differences are very strongly tied to the level of income people have in retirement. The gaps, he added, are considerable, running to as much as five years, with those in the top decile, on very high pensions, living longer than those on very low pensions. That, he said, completely reframes the discussion, if the country is serious about pursuing a future pension reform that is meant to be more socially fair.

Health and Social Security Minister Martine Deprez took a different view. That conclusion, she said, is a bit simplistic. It might, at first sight, look as though the study shows life expectancy is higher for those on a higher pension. But if you asked someone in the street who they think tends to live longer, she said, the answer would be someone who is healthy, who eats well, who has not had an accident and who is not off sick every week. Whether all of that is directly tied to salary, she believes is in part questionable.

Baum stands by his reading and the differences are clear. The Left MP also had a point to make that goes beyond the physical strain of working life itself. It is not so much the hardship of the work itself, in his view, but what people have as a pension afterwards. Whether they continue to face permanent existential worry, which almost certainly shapes how much time they end up spending in retirement, or whether they can enjoy a rosier life on a very high pension, matters greatly.

Also today

• Upper Sûre and Weiswampach lakes declared safe for swimming, as bacteria levels decrease.
• Sample analysis taken after calf carcasses found, shows no evidence of wolf activity in northern Luxembourg
• Court of Appeal mainly acquits notary Karine Reuter in first case, upholds conviction in second.
• Germany registered a record of around 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer as Europe struggled through a series of punishing heatwaves
• Japan's ambitious mission to collect and bring back samples from one of Mars's moons will lift off on October
• Astronomers have discovered the fastest star in the Milky Way zooming at 25,000 kilometres a second around the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy.

On air

Intern Catherine put together a fantastic quiz for Tom, John and Charlie and Rick in Devon had another head scratcher of a question.

Figure of the day

The National Employment Agency (ADEM) counted 19,943 resident jobseekers, around 1,547 more than the same period in 2025

• The increase reached 8.4% over twelve months, affecting qualified jobseekers the most, as their numbers increased by 16.3%. Young people were also more affected, with an increase of 10%, while the increase was more moderate among 45–64 year olds. The most sought-after professions reflect trends already observed in recent months: strong demand in IT, industrial cleaning, banking, and law.
  
• According to the latest ADEM data, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 6.3%. Meanwhile, new resident registrations declined slightly, with 2,799 in July, 1.9% lower than projected for 2025. As of the end of the month, 10,148 people were receiving full unemployment benefits and 1,587 were receiving waiting allowances or vocational waiting allowances. Employment support measures benefited 4,441 residents, a 5.7% increase year-on-year.

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