Without Old Age Pension: Where and Why Elderly People Lack State Support

In most countries of the world, retirement is a natural outcome of working life, a time of well-deserved rest. However, there are many countries where the elderly cannot count on regular payments from the state. In some countries, the pension system does not exist at all, while in others it covers only a narrow circle of the chosen ones - civil servants, military personnel, or workers of large enterprises. The reasons for this phenomenon are diverse: from the complete collapse of state institutions to a deliberate choice of a contributory model. Let's look at where and why the elderly lack pension support.

Countries with a complete lack of a pension system

In some states, there is no pension at all - for anyone. These are usually countries that have experienced prolonged wars, political instability, or the complete breakdown of state structures.

Somalia is a classic example. For decades, there has been no functioning central government here, which has led to the complete collapse of all state institutions, including the social security system. The elderly are forced to rely exclusively on the support of relatives, local communities, and religious organizations.

South Sudan, the youngest country in the world, also lacks a pension system. The reason is the extremely weak state infrastructure and the total dominance of the informal sector, where the overwhelming majority of the population works. Without formal employment, there are no social security contributions, and therefore no pension funds.

In Afghanistan, the pension system effectively ceased to exist after the Taliban came to power in 2021. In August 2025, payments were resumed for some former civil servants - military personnel, teachers, doctors, and police officers. However, farmers and other categories of citizens who did not have formal employment have never had the right to a pension and remain without any support.

Yemen, Eritrea, Chad, the Central African Republic - in these countries, the pension system either does not function or covers such a narrow circle of people that it effectively does not exist for the overwhelming majority of the population.

Countries with pensions only for the chosen few

In some countries, pension payments are provided, but are only available to a limited category of citizens - usually civil servants, military personnel, and workers of strategic industries. The rest of the population remains without protection in old age.

In India, there is no concept of \"old age pension\" as a universal payment. Regular allowances are received only by civil servants - this accounts for about 12 percent of the population. The main care for the elderly falls on families and religious funds. Residents of the country have to save for old age themselves, otherwise they risk falling below the poverty line.

In China, a fragmented system has been formed: pensions are available to civil servants and workers of large urban enterprises. However, about 20 percent of the population, primarily rural residents, are not covered by any pension programs. The reason is the household registration system \"hukou\", which does not allow rural residents to legally work in cities and participate in social insurance.

In Vietnam and the Philippines, pension payments are provided only for those who worked for the state. In Vietnam, pensions are also received by urban residents and workers of industrial enterprises. In the Philippines, the system is experiencing serious financial difficulties - the deficit was so great that the president of the country had to sell his personal yacht to finance the payments.

In Pakistan and Iraq, pension payments are received only by civil servants and workers of key industries, such as oil extraction. The rest of the citizens remain without payments and rely on the support of children and relatives.

In Bhutan, a contributory pension system is formally in place, but it covers only civil servants, military personnel, and employees of state corporations - less than 10 percent of the population. The overwhelming majority of residents of this agrarian country remain without a pension. Some elderly people, especially those without relatives, find refuge in Buddhist monasteries.

Countries with a formal, but ineffective system

In some states, the pension system exists on paper, but only a few receive actual payments. In Niger, a formal pension system exists, but in fact, payments are received by about three percent of the population. The average life expectancy here is 52 years, and only about five percent of residents are legally employed. High levels of crime and the prevalence of the shadow economy make state allowances inaccessible to most.

In Tanzania, there is no state pension at all - minimum payments are provided only for military personnel and police officers. In Honduras, pensions, although small, are paid to everyone who reaches 60 years old, but few
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