Europe 1 with AFP 5:01 p.m., February 09, 2022

The government announced the payment, from this Wednesday, of a boost for more than 200,000 retirees.

More specifically, it concerns the spouses of agricultural operators.

The boost is on average up to 70 euros per month. 

More than 200,000 retirees - spouses and especially wives of farmers - benefit from this Wednesday from a boost on their retirement pension, announces the government.

70 euros per month

This is the translation of the final adoption by Parliament, following a final unanimous vote by the Senate at the beginning of December, of an increase in the value of small pensions for "collaborating spouses" of farmers, carried by the leader of the communist group in the Assembly André Chassaigne.

In June 2020, André Chassaigne had already obtained a unanimous vote to raise the pensions of former farm managers to a floor level of 85% of the net minimum wage (instead of 75%), or 1,035 euros.

The first payments were made in early December to the bank accounts of some 208,000 pensioners concerned.

This time, the increase concerns “spouses” as well as “family helpers” and “materializes from this Wednesday, February 9, 2022, date of payment of pensions for the month of January by the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) to the retirees," the government said in a statement.

"More than 200,000 retirees are affected by this increase in their retirement pension. Women are the main beneficiaries: more than 120,000 of them will see their pension increase by an average of 70 euros per month; 30% of them will benefit of a pension increase of more than 100 euros per month", it is specified.

"A strong measure of justice for many women"

The "collaborating spouses" of farmers previously received a pension of 604 euros per month on average, when they validated 150 quarters, and 307 euros in other cases.

“It was normal that all the members of the family who worked on the family farm could also benefit from a pension increase”, underlines the Secretary of State in charge of Pensions, Laurent Pietraszewski, quoted in the press release.

"It is, in particular, a strong measure of justice towards many women who have worked all their lives alongside their farming spouse and the sign of the country's recognition for their work", he adds.