A partial early old-age pension granted before 1 May 2026 does not impact general social security benefit

General social security benefit (yleistuki) is a means-tested benefit. This means that if you have capital income or other income that is not wages or salary, that income can have an impact on the amount of general social security benefit you can get.

According to the Act on General Social Security Benefit, a partial early old-age pension is taken into account as income in the means test for the general social security benefit, and it can reduce the amount of general social security benefit you can get.

Parliament has approved an amendment to the Act on General Social Security Benefit. After the amendment enters into force, your partial early old-age pension will not have an effect on the amount of your general social security benefit if the pension was granted before 1 May 2026.

However, the legislative change does not apply to your partial early old-age pension if it was granted on or after 1 May 2026. In that case, your pension will still count as income in the means test for your general social security benefit.

The change will affect you if your partial early old-age pension was granted before 1 May 2026.

The amendment will apply retroactively as from 1 May 2026.

If you were granted a partial early old-age pension before 1 May 2026 and Kela has taken your pension into account in the means test for your general social security benefit, Kela will retroactively amend its past decisions on the benefit and pay the amount of unpaid benefit that has accrued since 1 May 2026 to you.

Once Kela has amended its decision, your partial early old-age pension will not affect any future payments of your general social security benefit either.

Kela will pay the amount of unpaid general social security benefit you have accrued since 1 May 2026 into your bank account as a one-off payment within 2 business days of issuing its amended decision.

You do not need to contact Kela’s customer service. Visit OmaKela (available in Finnish and Swedish) to see when Kela has issued its adjusted decision and when you will get your general social security benefit.