Orphan’s pension
The orphan's pension is a pension that is paid to a child aged under 18 years if his or her parent or other guardian (for instance, foster parent) dies.
The orphan's pension is part of the survivors' pension scheme. There are two survivors' pension schemes in Finland: survivors' pensions under the National Pensions Act and under the earnings-related pension legislation, and they complement each other.
- Kela pays a basic amount and an additional amount to the orphan's pension to persons aged under 18 years.
- If the young person is studying, Kela continues to pay the basic amount until the person reaches the age of 21 years. This is also called an orphan's pension for students.
- The authorised pension providers pay orphan's pensions to persons aged under 20 years. The pension is based on the employees’ and self-employed persons' pension that the deceased guardian had accrued.
Orphan's pension can also be granted from the statutory workers compensation scheme and also on the basis of voluntary accident insurance. If the deceased guardian had lived or worked abroad, the child may be entitled to survivors’ pension also from those countries.
Coordination with other benefits
If you receive a disability pension from Kela or a comparable pension from abroad while aged under 18 years or under 21 years, you are not entitled to an orphan's pension.