The effect has proved disastrous: rising prices flies at 2.8% over the year. Health spending increased by 50 euros, with the new medical deductibles. But pensions, as solidarity allowance for the elderly (ASPA), the former minimum old-age pension, have been identified only 1.1% on 1 January.


BENCHMARKS

NUMBER.
In 1960, there were 2.3 million pensioners in France (basic scheme, metropolitan area), for a demographic report (contributors / retired) of 3.98. In 1975, these figures are respectively 4.1 and 3.15 million in 1987 to 6.4 million and 1.99. In 2006, France had 11.1 million retirees in general and the population is 1.51.

MINIMA.
The minimum contributory, corresponding to the threshold paid to a pensioner low-paid throughout his career, reached 579.85 euros per month (261.43 euros for the survivor's pension).

ALLOCATION OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE AGED (ASPA).
Payable under the National Solidarity means test, it is 628.10 euros per month for a single person, 1126, 77 euros for a couple. In addition additions for disability (369.99 euros), spouse (50.81 euros), dependent child (88.72 euros) ...

REVERSION.
Enlarged to 55 years at least, the survivor's pension (54% of the deceased spouse's retirement) is subject to a ceiling of (17555 euros per year and 28088 euros for a household).

PROMISE.
At the conference's social February 6, the President announced a 25% increase in the allocation of solidarity by 2012, with an advance "to assert" of 200 euros in 2008. The reversion pensions are projected to rise from 54% to 60%.

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This erosion has been even more keenly felt among the elderly which affect only small pensions. Thursday, March 6, in Paris, an event also attended associations and unions to retirees of all trade union confederations (CGT, CFDT, FO, CFTC, UNSA, FSU ...)

An automatic adjustment insufficient. Since the Act of 2003 pension reform, the annual pension is aligned with inflation. But for these increases occur from 1 January, the increase was calculated using an automatic mechanism for evaluating prices of the past year and estimates of the next year. In 2007, the rise in pensions had risen to 1.8% for a real inflation of 1.3%. The difference of 0.5% was subtracted 1.6% of estimated by the government for 2008, or 1.1% granted on 1 January.

The minister of social relations and solidarity, Xavier Bertrand, has promised an adjustment, without waiting on 1 January 2009. He referred to maturity by the summer, with the revision of the 2003 Act.

Some disparities. The average income of 13.5 million pensioners amounted to Euro 1512, including the share of schemes. But 17% of them receive a basic pension of less than 600 euros ... The difference is considerable between men (1636 euros on average) and women (1020 euros). The gap has widened since the 2003 reform has increased the length of contributions to forty years to qualify for a full pension. Consequence? Women who have not had a career still represent 75% of the beneficiaries of the "minimum contributory," the lowest level (the equivalent of smic for retirees) with 579.85 euros - without supplementation.

The number of retirees increases to a minimum contributory constantly - 240000 in 1984, 3.7 million in 2005 - even though a quarter of them, "polypensionnés" sign to other plans. The proportion is as important among agricultural workers, seasonal and immigrant workers. The artisans, merchants, as farmers and their spouses, operators or employees are also affected by the low rate of supplementary pension benefits.

The 2003 law provides that the minimum contributory reaches 85% of net smic. With 83.5%, that goal would be nearly reached after revaluations of 2004, 2006 and 2008.

The minimum age: a safety net. Transformed into solidarity allowance for the elderly (ASPA) since 2007, provided to reside in the territory, the minimum age is a safety net, such as the RMI, allocated according to resources for people aged 65 and older. More than 60% of 609000 recipients are single women with a mean age of 76.3 years.

The amount of the ASPA (628.10 euros monthly) is below the poverty line. But it exceeds the maximum resources for supplemental health of universal health cover (CMU). The government has planned to increase the allowance by 25% in five years. An advance payment of 200 euros should be paid from 2008. The total cost of the measure, estimated at 2.45 billion euros, must be supported by the solidarity fund pension, funded primarily by the CSG. The unions fear that the revaluation would create too much distortion with the minimum contributory of retired employees.

The survivors' benefits. Nearly 4 million people, including 90% of women, a survivor's pension after the death of their spouses. Half receives an average of 480 euros per month. The rate of pensions is expected to increase from 54% to 60% of salary by 2012. But the National Council of retired and elderly people expressed concern about the impact of these revaluations on "small pensions threatened by the decline of their purchasing power