Disability pension safeguards your livelihood if a long-term reduction in your work ability causes a decrease in your earnings level.
Disability pensions include:
- Full disability pension
- Partial disability pension
- Cash rehabilitation benefit
- Partial cash rehabilitation benefit
Disability pension can be granted as a full or partial pension depending on the remaining level of your work ability. The determination of your work ability is made by a doctor. If your work ability is minimal or non-existent, you will be granted the full disability pension. If, however, you are still able to work to some degree while receiving pension, you will be granted a partial disability pension.
Please note that the partial disability pension can only begin once your earnings have decreased to 60 per cent of your previous earnings level. If you are self-employed, you must reduce your entrepreneurial activities to 60 per cent of full-time work in order to receive partial disability pension.
Your state of health determines whether the disability pension is granted for a fixed term or until further notice. If it is possible to restore your work ability through treatment and rehabilitation, the pension will be granted for a fixed period. The fixed-term disability pension is referred to as a cash rehabilitation benefit. It is possible to get a partial cash rehabilitation benefit if your work ability is temporarily reduced but is sufficient for part-time work.
| Reduced work ability | Minimal or non-existent work ability | |
|---|---|---|
| Possible to recover work ability | Partial cash rehabilitation benefit | Cash rehabilitation benefit |
| Recovery of work ability not possible | Partial disability pension | Full disability pension |
Who is eligible for disability pension?
You can apply for disability pension if:
- your work ability has been reduced due to a disability injury or illness for a minimum of one year
- you have not yet reached the minimum retirement age for your age group.
Disability pension generally begins when the sickness allowance paid by Kela ends. If you have just become ill, contact Kela first to begin receiving a sickness allowance. Further information about the sickness allowance is available from Kela’s website.
In order for you to apply for disability pension, you will need a Medical Statement B provided by a doctor. After submitting the statement, Veritas’ own consultant physician will assess the impact of your health status on your work ability. Along with your health status, your age, education and work experience, among other matters, will be taken into consideration when assessing your situation.
Your pension is processed equitably
All disability pension cases are processed in accordance with the law and in a way that ensures the equality of applicants. The pension decisions are based on employment pension legislation, and the processing is carried out through collaboration between the pension processor and a consultant physician. The employment pension sector applies a uniform approach; instructions and monitoring are provided for this purpose. As a pension applicant, you have an extensive and easily exercised right to appeal any decision with which you are not satisfied.
How long is disability pension paid?
Full disability pension continues up until the retirement age for old-age pension and then it changes automatically into old-age pension. The amount of old-age pension is the same as the disability pension, unless you have worked while receiving disability pension and, thus, earned a higher pension. Additional pension funds accrued alongside the basic pension must be applied for separately.
You can be granted an extension to fixed-term forms of pension (cash rehabilitation benefit or partial cash rehabilitation benefit) if necessary for the treatment or rehabilitation process. You can apply for the extension by sending Veritas a new, updated Medical Statement B.
Working alongside disability pension
You can work while receiving disability pension as long as you stay within your earnings limits.
The main rule is that your earnings on full disability pension may be a maximum of 40% and on partial disability pension 60% of your previous earnings level. The earnings limit is, however, always at least the amount of the full guarantee pension provided by Kela (EUR 976.59 per month in 2024). Your personal earnings limit is stated in your pension decision.
You can also carry out entrepreneurial activities while receiving disability pension. If your income as an entrepreneur falls below the minimum YEL income limit of EUR 9,010.28 per year (in 2024), you do not need to take YEL insurance. If you work more and become obligated to insure, the earnings limits indicated in your pension decision will apply.
You will also accrue an additional pension for any work you do while receiving disability pension. You can apply for the additional pension when your disability pension transitions into old-age pension. If, however, you establish a new employment relationship while receiving old-age pension, you cannot apply for this additional pension until you stop working altogether.
If you exceed your earnings limit
If you exceed your earnings limit, please contact us without delay. If, for example, you begin to work full time while receiving disability pension, it is possible to suspend your pension payments for a minimum of three months and maximum of two years. Full disability pension can also be changed to a partial disability pension.
If you work for less than two years, the payment of your disability pension will continue. If, on the other hand, you decide to return permanently to working life, the disability pension will end.
The projected pension component complements the disability pension amount
If you become ill and can no longer work as you have been, you will earn less in additional pension. In order to ensure that the illness does not cause your earnings level to crash, the calculation of disability pension deviates from the normal bases of calculation based on earnings.
The calculation of the pension will be based on those earnings you received prior to becoming ill. Additionally, the disability pension includes a projected pension component to make up for the pension accrual lost from earnings as a result of disability. The calculation of the projected pension component is based on average earnings during the most recent years of work.
The amount of the partial disability pension and partial cash rehabilitation benefit is half of the full pension amount.
How to apply for disability pension
You can apply for disability pension conveniently using our online service. You will need to use your personal online banking codes to complete the application.
It is also still possible to complete a paper application form and send it to us by mail. Further instructions can be found in our Forms and applications page.
Things to remember when applying for disability pension
- Submit the application for disability pension no later than 3–4 months before your sickness allowance ends.
- However, if you have not received our decision before your sickness allowance ends, you can register with the TE Office as an unemployed jobseeker in order to start receiving an unemployment allowance.
- When you apply for disability pension, we will also investigate your right to vocational rehabilitation.
- Send the following attachments with your application
- Medical Statement B
- Appendix U form if you have lived or worked abroad. You can complete an Appendix U form in our online service.
- You can use the same application to apply for the national pension from Kela or an earnings-related pension from abroad.
- If you are receiving a cash rehabilitation benefit and you are applying for an extension, a new Medical Statement B is all you need to apply.
Send statements and attachments to us through our online service.