Old-age pension from Kela
The old-age pension from Kela is a type of national pension intended for persons who have reached the age of 65 years. For persons born in 1965 or later the age limit for the old-age pension is linked to the retirement age in the earnings-related pension scheme. Check your own retirement age with the help of the calculator at www.työelake.fi.
The other entitlement criteria for the old-age pension are:
- You live or have lived in Finland for at least three years, as required by law. Residence in another EU or EEA country may also be taken into account.
- Your other pensions and compensations do not exceed the income limit.
Kela grants old-age pensions starting from the beginning of the month after you have reached the age limit for the old-age pension. Applications can be backdated up to 6 months.
If Kela is paying you a disability pension, we will automatically convert your pension into an old-age pension when you reach the retirement age. Following that, the amount of your pension may change if you begin to draw some other pension or your earnings-related pension changes.
Increase for deferred retirement
The increase for deferred retirement encourages you to continue working.
If you postpone your old-age pension to begin later than the beginning of the month following your 65th birthday, your pension will be increased
- by 0.6% if you were born before 1962
- by 0.4% if you were born in 1962 or later.
The increase is calculated for each month by which you postpone the start of your old-age pension. There is no maximum limit to the amount by which your pension can be increased. However, the pension is not increased for the months for which the applicant is not entitled to a national pension. You are not entitled to a pension if you, for instance, live abroad after having reached the age of 65 years.
Kela benefits while on an old-age pension and coverage by the Finnish social security system
In addition to an old-age pension, you may be eligible for an increase for children, a care allowance for pensioners, front-veteran’s supplements or a housing allowance for pensioners. You can also receive reimbursements for medicine costs, reimbursements for medical care and reimbursements for costs for travel to a public or private healthcare facility.
If you move to Finland at or near retirement age, contact Kela to check whether you are covered under the Finnish social security system. You will not receive a national pension if you have not lived in Finland before reaching the age of 65 or retiring. However, you may be entitled to a guarantee pension if your pensions from abroad are very small.
Moving abroad may affect your eligibility for pensions or other social security benefits.