Over 40% of pensioners get under 1,000 euros monthly,update

(ANSA) - Rome, December 5 - Some 41.3% of Italian pensioners receive less than 1,000 euros per month in retirement benefits, national statistics agency Istat said Friday. Another 39.4% received income between 1,000 and 2,000 euros monthly and a small fraction received more than 3,000 euros for monthly expenses, the agency said. Spending on pensions rose by 0.7% in 2013, and accounted for almost 17% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2013, Istat reported. Spending on pensions totaled 272 billion euros in 2013, the agency said.