#

##

## Principal activities

### Decisions on pension insurance benefits and payment thereof

The CSSA decides on the amounts of pension insurance benefits, with the exception of pensions that fall under the authority of the interior, defence and justice ministries. These pensions are old-age pensions, 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree disability pensions, widows’ and widowers’ pensions and orphans’ benefits. Decisions on entitlements and the amounts of pension insurance benefits comprise decisions according to the national legislation, the coordination regulations and international treaties on the implementation of social security. These decisions are made at the CSSA headquarters. At present, the coordination regulations apply to 30 EU member states and bilateral treaties to 15 countries. 1,705,102 submissions concerning pension insurance were received in 2010; 224,277 of these were applications for one or another pension insurance benefit.

After taking into account accrued and pre-paid expenses (expenditure on advance payments to the Czech Post at the turn of the financial year), pension insurance benefit payouts in 2010 entailed expenditure totalling CZK 340.162 billion. CZK 265.985 billion of that amount was expenditure on old-age pensions.

2,819,093 pensioners in total were receiving pension insurance payments as of 31.12.2010, 1,108,146 of them men and 1,710,947 women. The CSSA paid 59,548 pensioners their pensions abroad and non-standard payments were made in the case of 1,980 pensioners. The average old-age pension was CZK 10,123, with men receiving CZK 11,240 and women CZK 9,189.

The CSSA pays out pensions in two ways: in cash or by credit transfer to the client’s account. The CSSA performed a total of 2,793,123 pension payouts as of 31.12.2010. 1,516,006 of that number were paid through post offices; 1,232,923 pensions were transferred to clients’ accounts (i.e. 89,461 more than in December 2009); and 44,194 were sent to social care institutions. 51,184 pensions were subject to distrainment orders as of 31.12.2010.

### Expenditure on pension insurance benefits (CZK millions)

Year | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Amount | 226,883 | 243,648 | 261,464 | 282,876 | 305,536 | 331,705 | 340,162

Explanatory note: The advance from December of the previous year has been added to pensions and the advance from January of the following year deducted.

### Number of pension insurance clients, pensioners and pensions – state as of 31.12. of the given year

Year | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Number of pension insurance clients | 4,841,549 | 4,786,415 | 4,846,240 | 4,877,954 | 4,978,920 | 4,905,021 | 5,011,797
Number of pensioners | 2,625,685 | 2,645,100 | 2,683,784 | 2,719,161 | 2,754,011 | 2,790,391 | 2,819,093
of which | women | 1,629,999 | 1,637,584 | 1,656,280 | 1,674,015 | 1,687,546 | 1,700,961 | 1,710,947
men | 995,686 | 1,007,516 | 1,027,504 | 1,045,146 | 1,066,465 | 1,089,430 | 1,108,146
Number of pensions paid out | 3,249,706 | 3,268,673 | 3,310,174 | 3,347,121 | 3,383,046 | 3,418,876 | 3,446,767
of which | old-age pensions | 1,944,915 | 1,961,870 | 1,995,350 | 2,028,865 | 2,066,005 | 2,108,368 | 2,260,032
disability pensions* | 563,376 | 570,055 | 580,055 | 586,686 | 588,745 | 585,944 | 466,329
survivors’ pensions | 741,415 | 736,784 | 734,769 | 731,570 | 728,296 | 724,564 | 720,406

* Up to 2009: full and partial disability pensions: from 2010: disability pensions for 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree disability
Explanatory note: These are pensions paid out in the Czech Republic, i.e. excluding payments abroad.

### Average old-age pension amount – state as of 31.12. of the given year

Year | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Men | 8,133 | 8,662 | 9,157 | 9,784 | 10,715 | 11,175 | 11,240
Women | 6,600 | 7,030 | 7,431 | 7,938 | 8,784 | 9,133 | 9,189
Total | 7,270 | 7,744 | 8,187 | 8,747 | 9,638 | 10,045 | 10,123

Explanatory note: This is the old-age pension amount without any other concurrently paid types of pension, e.g. widows’/widowers’ pensions.