Eligibility
You can receive a guarantee pension if you receive one of the following types of pension:
- old-age pension or early old-age pension
- disability pension provided under the National Pensions Act
- full disability pension provided under the Employees Pensions Act or based on private- or public-sector employment
- a statutory pension in respect of full disability under a workers compensation, motor insurance or military accidents or injuries scheme, a life annuity, disability pension or compensation for loss of earnings payable for 12 months following a traffic accident
- farm closure compensation.
A further requirement is that you have lived in Finland for at least 3 years after reaching the age of 16 years. This requirement applies to immigrants to Finland as well. If you have been insured in Finland for at least a year, the insurance period accumulated in other EU or EEA countries or in Switzerland can be taken into account.
Young disabled persons do not have to meet the residence criterion if the person has received disability allowance for persons under 16 years of age.
If you have immigrated to Finland and do not qualify for any of the above benefits, you are entitled to a guarantee pension if you have reached the age of
- 65 years
- 16 years and are disabled within the meaning of the National Pensions Act.
Who is not eligible for a guarantee pension?
If you live abroad on a permanent basis, you cannot get a guarantee pension. The pension can only be paid to persons whose stay abroad is temporary.
Guarantee pension cannot be awarded if you do not receive any other pension than years-of-service pension, partial old-age pension, a part-time, partial disability or survivors' pension.
The guarantee pension will not be granted until you have applied for all other pensions you may be entitled to. When necessary, Kela will ask you to provide details that you have applied for all of the Finnish and foreign pensions to which you are entitled.