The projected pension component is most commonly associated with disability pensions (and in some countries also with survivors’ pensions). In practice, it refers to the period from the beginning of the year in which the pension contingency occurs to a specified reference age, such as the lowest statutory retirement age for the cohort. A notional pension accrual is calculated for this projected period and added to the pension already accrued.

The exact determination of the projected pension component varies between countries. It may be credited in full up to retirement age or only partially, depending on specific conditions. In some countries, no projected pension component is applied.

The following table can be used as indicative information on the projected pension component. The information was last updated in 2026 and is not maintained on a continuous basis. The applicability of the projected pension component should be verified on a case-by-case basis with the competent institution of the country concerned.

Countries (EU, United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland) where a projected pension component may be included

Country	Projected pension component	Explanation
Netherlands	–	–
Belgium	–	–
United Kingdom	–	–
Bulgaria	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to retirement age (67)
Spain	Disability pension	Projected period up to retirement age
Ireland	–	–
Iceland	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to retirement age (67)
Italy	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to age 60 (or up to retirement age). The survivors’ pension is calculated based on either a disability or an old-age pension..
Austria	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to age 60
Greece	–	Special rule: fully blind persons and insured persons with certain serious illnesses who have at least 4,050 insured working days (approx. 13.5 years) are, regardless of age, entitled to a pension calculated on the basis of 10,500 working days (35 years).
Croatia	Disability and survivors’ pension	Disability pension: 2/3 of the period between the contingency and age 55 and 1/2 of the period between ages 55 and 60. For survivors’ pensions, the projected period corresponds to the difference between the minimum insurance period (21 years) and the accrued insurance period.
Cyprus	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period calculated up to age 63 (retirement age 65)
Latvia	Survivors’ pension	Children are entitled to survivors’ pensions; a surviving spouse is entitled to a temporary pension for 12 months.
Lithuania	Disability and survivors’ pension	Up to retirement age
Luxembourg	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to age 55
Malta	–	–
Norway	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to age 66. If the insurance period is less than 40 years, including the projected period, the pension is reduced.
Portugal	–	–
Poland	Disability and survivors’ pension	The projected period covers missing years to the extent that the insurance period is less than 25 years. If the insurance period is 25 years or more, no projected period is added.
France	–	–
Romania	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to the insured person’s retirement age
Sweden	–	–
Germany	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to retirement age (66 years and 3 months), rising to 67 by 2031
Slovakia	Disability pension	Up to retirement age (63+)
Slovenia	Disability and survivors’ pension	2/3 of the period between the onset of disability and age 60 and 1/2 of the period between ages 60 and 65
Finland	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period up to the lowest retirement age of the birth cohort
Switzerland	Disability and survivors’ pension (AHV, BVG)	Projected period up to retirement age (65)
Denmark	–	–
Czechia	Disability and survivors’ pension	Projected period calculated up to the retirement age (of a childless woman)
Hungary	–	–
Estonia	–	–