Retirees return to work due to cost-of-living crisis: Number tripled in the last 6 years
Rising inflation and economic difficulties are forcing millions of retirees to work again. While the number of working retirees has tripled in the last six years, it is notable that pensions remain insufficient against inflation.
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Those who have retired from working life are forced to find jobs again due to the insufficiency of their income. The number of working retirees in Turkey has shown a striking increase over the last six years. Especially due to the high inflation and cost of living experienced in recent times, retirees are returning to working life.
THE NUMBER OF WORKING RETIREES IS ON THE RISE
Turkey Retirees Association (TÜED) Chairman Kazım Ergün issued a written statement drawing attention to the increase in the number of working retirees in the Social Security Institution's (SGK) February 2026 statistics. The number of working retirees, which was 746 thousand 766 in 2020, rose to 2 million 130 thousand 20 as of 2026. This represents a 185 percent increase in six years.
Kazım Ergün stated, “While the number of working retirees has nearly tripled in 6 years, the raises made to pensions have remained far behind real inflation. Our retirees are trying to stand on their own feet not with the ‘right’ granted to them by the state, but with their own sweat once again.”
LOW PENSIONS AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIP STAND OUT
Emphasizing that the pensions of BAĞ-KUR and SSK retirees have eroded and fallen below the hunger threshold, Kazım Ergün said, “These figures are an official indicator of the poverty and financial hardship our retirees are experiencing. Despite the title of ‘retiree,’ our retirees are forced to work again.”
Ergün also stated that retirees are forced to work to support their children and grandchildren or to meet their basic needs due to the struggle for livelihood.
"OUR RETIREES' HOPE IS DIMINISHING"
While expressing that retirees have become tired and hopeless, the TÜED Chairman also shared his proposed solutions:
“An additional raise should be made to pensions immediately, at the real rate of inflation. The lowest pension should be increased to at least the level of the minimum wage. Taxes and deductions on working retirees should be reviewed, and additional payment rates should be increased from 4-5 percent to 10 percent. Taking regional differences into account, extra support should be provided to retirees in provinces such as Niğde, Kahramanmaraş, and Ordu.”
“Our retirees are tired, exhausted, and worse, they are losing hope. But as TÜED, we are keeping hope alive. We will never give up on seeking rights and fighting. We will continue to be the voice of our retirees and defend their rights.”