Disability Pension

If you are faced with a long-term illness, you will normally first be paid a Sickness Allowance which is payable for persons between 16 and 67 years. If your sickness is prolonged, you can apply for Disability Pension.

You are entitled to a disability pension if you meet the following requirements:

• the other pensions or benefits you receive do not exceed a certain maximum limit
• you have lived in Finland for at least 3 years after reaching the age of 16
• you are between 16 and 64 years of age
• you have an illness, injury or defect that prevents you from earning a reasonable living. If you are 60 or over, you can get a disability pension on somewhat easier terms.

If you are blind or immobile without assistance, you are entitled to a disability pension under the National Pensions Act even if you work.

Persons who have been paid Sickness Allowance for 150 working days normally get from Kela a letter informing them about rehabilitation options or about how to apply for a pension. Disability Pension will usually begin in about one year from when you became ill.

If you apply for both a national pension and an earnings-related pension on account of disability for work, Kela and the responsible pension provider will consult each other before issuing you with a decision. This will avoid situations in which one of them grants and the other denies an application for pension.

A small amount of employment is allowed even if you receive a Disability Pension. If Kela pays you a full Disability Pension and you start work, with the result that you are no longer eligible for the pension because of excess income, you can set aside your pension for up to 5 years. However, this is not possible if your health has improved substantially. Kela will pay you an amount equal to the highest rate of the disability allowance for the first two years in which your national pension is set aside.

When you reach the age of 65 years, Kela will convert your Disability Pension into an Old-Age Pension. You need not apply for this, and no separate decision will be issued to you about the conversion. The amount of your national pension will normally not change (unless there are changes in any other pensions you may receive).