Pension Applications
Disability pension decisions in 2024
In 2024, a total of 22,800 new disability pension decisions were issued within the earnings-related pension system. This was about 1 per cent more than in 2023. Around 40.3 per cent of the decisions were rejections. Compared to 2023, the rejection rate grew by nearly 3 percentage points. The number of issued disability pension decisions has remained fairly stable in recent years. The share of rejections has been on the rise for a long time.
The rejection rate of disability pension applications varies by age group. The number of cases is higher for the older age groups. In 2024, the number of issued disability pension decisions for persons aged 60 and over was clearly on the upswing compared to those for other age groups.
The number of disability pension decisions issued for persons under the age of 35 has increased somewhat in the last 10 years. On the other hand, a larger proportion of claims are also rejected. In 2024 in Finland, 56 per cent of the disability pension claims from persons under age 35 were rejected. A clear majority (76%) of the claims in this age group were related to mental and behavioral disorders.
For those aged 60 or over, both the number of claims and the rejection percentage has increased over the last 10 years. The increase in the number of claims is partly due to the 2017 pension reform. The reform increased the qualifying age of the old-age pension and, by extension, the age until when it is possible to draw a disability pension. In 2024 in Finland, 18 per cent of the disability pension applications from persons aged 60 or more were rejected. Nearly half of disability pension applications for persons aged 60 or over were related to musculoskeletal disorders. Mental and behavioural disorders were the second most common cause (14%).
(Updated on 30 January 2025)
Average total processing times for earnings-related pension applications in 2024
Table:
In 2024, disability pension claims were processed by earnings-related pension providers in 43 days on average. The average processing time for full old-age pension claims was 5 days, and for partial old-age pension claims, 2 days. On average, survivors’ pensions claims were processed in 9 days.
Compared to 2023, there were small changes in processing times in 2024. Survivors’ pension claims were processed two days faster, on average, and claims for full old-age pensions one day faster. Disability pension claims, on the other hand, were processed two days slower, on average.
(Updated on 30 January 2025)
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Pension applications
Producer: Finnish Centre for Pensions
Website: Pension applications
Subject area: Social security
Part of the Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): No
Description
The statistics contain data on earnings-related pension providers’ average processing times for earnings-related pension applications. They also includes data on disability pension application decisions.
Data content
The statistics contain data on the average total processing times for earnings-related pension applications, by pension benefit. They also include data on the share of applications processed in less than three months.
Regarding disability pension decisions, the statistics present numerical data on granted and rejected applications, as well as onthe share of rejected applications.
Classifications
The data on processing times have been classified according to sector of work and pension benefit.
Disability pension decisions have been classified according to gender, age and main disease.
Methods of data collection and source
The statistics is based on the registers of the earnings-related pension system.
Update frequency
The data is updated once a year.
Time of completion or release
The data is released at the beginning of the year following the statistical year. For a more detailed schedule, consult the Release Calendar.
Time series
The first earnings-related pension application data is from the year 2005.
Key words
earnings-related pensions, disability pensions, earnings-related pension applications, processing time
Concepts and Definitions
The total processing time
The total processing time is the time that begins on the date on which the application has been received and ends on the date on which the pension provider has issued its decision.
The processing times are for national pension applications.
The processing times for disability pensions do not include applications for continued pension.
Disability pension decisions
The disability pension decisions are for new applications. This means that the applicant has neither received a disability pension nor a rejected or a preliminary pension decision in four years before this application.
Private-sector pension providers include earnings-related pension insurance companies, industry-wide and company pension funds. Keva manages the majority of all public sector pension matters.
The main disease category classification used in disability pension decisions is the IDC-10 classification of diseases.
Quality description: Pension applications 2024
The statistics Pension applications is published by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
The Act on the Finnish Centre for Pensions states that the responsibilities of the institution include, for example, the compiling of statistics in its field of operation. The production of the statistics at the Finnish Centre for Pensions is the responsibility of the Planning Department.
The statistics Pension applications is financed by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
Relevance of statistical information
The statistics Pension applications describes the average processing times of earnings-related pension providers for earnings-related pension applications. They also includes data on the decisions issued for disability pension application.
Average total processing times
The statistics include pension providers’ average total processing times for earnings-related pension applications, by pension benefit. Private-sector pension providers include earnings-related pension insurance companies, industry-wide and company pension funds. Keva manages the majority of all public sector pension matters.
The total processing time is the time that begins on the date on which the application has been received and ends on the date on which the pension provider has issued its decision.
The data on processing times have been classified according to sector of work and pension benefit. The processing time unit is a day. Data on the share of applications processed in less than three months of all applications is presented separately.
The processing times are for national pension applications. The processing times for disability pensions do not include applications for continued pension.
Regarding disability pension decisions, the statistics present numerical data on granted and rejected applications, as well as on the share of rejected applications.
The disability pension decisions
re for new applications. This means that the applicant has neither received a disability pension nor a rejected or a preliminary pension decision in four years before this application.
The data on the decisions has been classified according to sector of work, gender, age and main disease category. The main disease categories follow the IDC-10 classification of diseases.
The concepts and definitions used in the statistics have been presented at the homepage of the statistics at www.etk.fi/en > Statistics > Pension Applications.
Correctness and accuracy of data
The statistics are based on the registers of the earnings-related pension scheme.
The Finnish Centre for Pensions is responsible for the content of the central registers of the earnings-related pension scheme. It manages and develops the notifications and register services relating to the registers. The registrar tasks of the Finnish Centre for Pensions are regulated in the Act on the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
The statistics Pension applications makes use of data in the application and pension registers. Together with Arke Oy and the pension providers, the Finnish Centre for Pensions maintains these registers.
The total processing time of a pension application is the date on which the claim is instigated (stored in the pension application register) and the date on which the pension decision is issued (stored in the pension decision register).
Data of the pension registers are used when compiling the statistics of disability pension decisions.
The datasets used consist of total material.
Errors discovered in the statistics are corrected without delay online. A separate bulletin is published in case of significant errors.
Timeliness and promptness of published data
The data in the statistics is released once a year at the beginning of the year following the statistical year. The release date is presented in the Release Calendar on the website of the Finnish Centre for Pensions. The data in the statistics is final.
Coherence and comparability of data
The statistics has been compiled since 2017. The time series has been produced in retrospect as of the statistical year 2005.
Availability and clarity of data
The statistical data is released annually on the homepage of the statistics and in the statistical database of the Finnish Centre for Pension.
A description of the statistics is presented on the homepage of the statistics at www.etk.fi/statistics.
For more information, contact the Statistical Services at the Finnish Centre for Pensions by e-mail at tilastot(at)etk.fi.