Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion

Denmark - Old-age pension, early retirement and survivors

Here you can get information on who is entitled to early retirement pension (tidlig pension), old-age pension (folkepension) and benefits for survivors (efterlevelseshjælp), how much can be paid and how to apply for the benefits.

In what situation can I claim?

You can receive early retirement pension when you are 1-3 years before the public retirement age, and if you meet a number of conditions.

You can receive public old-age pension when you reach the public retirement age, and if you meet a number of conditions. The public retirement age depends on the date of birth. You can see the public retirement age here.

You will automatically be paid ATP Life-long Pension when ATP contributions have been paid for you and you reach the public retirement age. This is a statutory pension which the majority of the Danish population receive in addition to the public old age pension.

If your spouse/cohabiting partner dies and you both received old age pension, you are also entitled to receive his/her old age pension for 3 months after his/her death (known as survivor's pension). If this is not the case, you can apply instead for a lump sum (known as assistance for survivors). Please note that you can also apply for a death grant.

What conditions do I need to meet?

To receive early retirement pension, you must be within 1-3 years to public retirement age and have worked for a specific number of years. The required numbers of work-years depend on the date of birth. You can see the numbers of years here.

To receive old-age pension you must have reached public retirement age and applied for the old age pension.

The public retirement age will be gradually raised until 2036.

Date of birth

Public retirement age

1 July 1955 - 31 December 1962

67

1 January 1963 – 31 December 1966

1 January 1967

68

69

If you are not a Danish citizen, the general rule for receiving Danish state pension is that you are a citizen of another EU/EEA country or Switzerland (or the UK in case you are covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement) and have had a total of at least 3 years of earned entitlement to pension, of which at least 1 year was earned in Denmark.

ATP Life-long Pension is compulsory by law for citizens who have been employed on the private or public labour market (see here for more information – in Danish only).

You pay ATP contributions from your income when you:

  • are an employee;
  • have reached the age of 16;
  • work in Denmark or are posted by a Danish employer to short-term work abroad;
  • work at least 9 hours a week or receive a number of social benefits (transfer income).

A few groups can choose for themselves whether they wish to pay into ATP. See what benefits you pay ATP contribution from.

Please note that you can choose for yourself to pay into ATP Life-long Pension, if you:

  • are self-employed;
  • receive voluntary early retirement pension (efterløn);
  • receive flexible working allowance (fleksydelse);
  • receive disability pension (granted before 1 January 2003);
  • receive partial pension (delpension).

You have to pay into ATP, as long as you are working, regardless of how old you are - even if you have started to be paid ATP Life-long Pension.

Payment of contribution to the Compulsory pension scheme (Obligatorisk Pensionsordning) is compulsory by law for recipients of some social benefits, such as unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, disability pension, senior pension, educational assistance (uddannelseshjælp), social assistance (kontanthjælp), etc. If contribution is paid both to the compulsory pension scheme (Obligatorisk Pensionsordning) and to the supplementary pension (Arbejdsmarkedets Tillægspension, ATP) for the same citizen the contributions will be added together.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

The early retirement pension is a temporary benefit and consists of a basic amount, which is the same for single people and cohabitants (DKK 14,800 per month).

This amount is reduced if your income from work is above DKK 25,400 a year or your private pensions fortune is above DKK 105,700.

The public old age pension is a life-long benefit and consists of a basic amount and a pension supplement. The basic amount is the same for single people and cohabiting people, while the size of the pension supplement depends on whether you are single, married/cohabiting.

Public old age pension per month before tax

As a single person:

As a married/cohabiting person:

Basic amount

DKK 6,694

DKK 6,694

Pension supplement

DKK 7,745

DKK 3,963

Total:

DKK 14,439

DKK 10,657

Your economic situation also affects what you can receive in public old age pension.

Income from interest, individual pension or labour-market pension does not affect the basic amount, but it may be reduced if you have an income from work of more than DKK 359,200 per year.

You cannot receive the basic amount if you have an annual income from work of more than DKK 627,000. If your income from work is high you can consider deferring your pension. This gives you entitlement to receive a supplement known as percentage for deferment when deferment is terminated.

Your pension supplement depends on your and your spouse's/cohabiting partner's income.

Your pension supplement is reduced to an annual income of

You cannot receive the supplement if your annual income exceeds

Single person

DKK 91,300

DKK 392,100

Married/cohabiting with pensioner

DKK 182,900

DKK 480,100

Married/cohabiting with non-pensioner

DKK 182,900

DKK 331,500

The first DKK 122,004 you earn from personal work and the spouse/co-habitant’s income (from personal work) are disregarded in calculating the pension supplement.

Please note that you have to pay tax on both the basic amount and the pension supplement.

If you live or have lived abroad

The amount may be smaller if you have lived for periods in other EU/EEA countries/Switzerland/the UK from age 15 until retirement age.

If you reach the public retirement age no later than 30th June 2025 you have the right to the full old age pension rate. You obtain this right after 40 years of residence in Denmark, from 15 to retirement age.

If you reach the public retirement age after 30th June 2025 or you receive early retirement pension, you have the right to the full old age pension/early retirement pension rate provided that you have resided in Denmark for at least 9/10 of the time from age 15 to public retirement age.

If you are not entitled to a full early retirement pension/old age pension you might be entitled to a partial pension.

Survivor's pension/assistance for survivors

If both you and your cohabiting partner/spouse were recipients of old age or disability pension, and your partner/spouse dies, you can additionally have his/her old age pension paid to you for 3 months after his/her death (known as survivor's pension). The money will automatically be deposited in your NemKonto account for those 3 months, after which your pension will be automatically recalculated according to the rate for single persons.

If you are not entitled to survivor's pension and you have lived together with your spouse/cohabiting partner for 3 years prior to his/her death, you can apply for assistance for survivors from the Udbetaling Danmark. You have to apply no later than 6 months after the death. If you live abroad, you have to apply to Udbetaling Danmark, International Pension, to receive it. Assistance for survivors is a lump sum up to a maximum of DKK 15,601. Read more about aid to survivors.

Death grant

You can apply for a death grant if the deceased was entitled to Danish health insurance (if he/she had moved to Denmark, or if he/she had been resident here, the person concerned would have been entitled to public health benefits). You apply for death grant at borger.dk. You can also apply to the municipality's citizen service if you do not have Internet access. It is Udbetaling Danmark that pays the amount.

Death grant depends on the age of the deceased person, and whether he/she leaves assets.

Age of the deceased

Death grant

Deceased is below the age of 18

Maximum DKK 10,100

Deceased is over the age of 18

Maximum DKK 12,100

Deceased was born before 1 April 1957

Minimum DKK 1,050

The deceased has left children under the age of 18 or a spouse

The deceased was a single person and has not left any children under the age of 18

Entitlement to the full amount of death grant:

The married couple's combined capital assets are no more than DKK 40,500 (thereafter the grant is cut)

The deceased's combined capital assets are no more than DKK 20,300 (thereafter the grant is cut)

Death grant lapses:

The married couple's combined capital assets are DKK 52,600 or more

The capital assets are DKK 32,400 or more

Please note that Udbetaling Danmark as a rule does not pay the death grant until the probate court has completed settlement of the estate. Get more information on death grant.

ATP

The amount you receive in ATP Life-long Pension depends on how much you have contributed to the ATP Life-long Pension and to the compulsory pension scheme (Obligatorisk Pensionsordning) over the course of your life. The earlier you have contributed, the more pension you receive from it. Log in to borger.dk and get your pension overview from ATP.

You will receive a letter from ATP a few months before you reach retirement age. It will tell you how much you can expect to be paid. Your ATP Life-long Pension will automatically be deposited in your NemKonto account on the last banking day of the month in which you reach public retirement age.

If you live outside Denmark you have to request your ATP Life-long Pension.

If you receive more than DKK 3,200 annually, you will receive a monthly payment for the rest of your life. If the amount is DKK 3,200 or below, you will receive a lump sum.

Your public retirement age depends on your date of birth:

The public retirement age will be gradually raised until 2036.

Date of birth                                     Public retirement age

1 July 1955 - 31 December 1962

67

1 January 1963 - 31 December 1966

1 January 1967

68

69

You can opt to defer your pension from ATP until 10 years after you have reached the retirement age. Your pension will be increased for each month you opt to defer it. Deferment is not possible if the pension is paid out as a lump sum.

Please note that some survivors can be paid a lump sum from ATP Life-long Pension when you die. However, there are various rules which depend on whether it is to your spouse, cohabiting partner or children. The payment is made automatically 3 weeks after the death. If you live outside Denmark on the date of your death or your survivors live outside Denmark the survivors have to request the lump sum. Read more about payment on death.

Read more about ATP Life-long Pension and the compulsory pension scheme (Obligatorisk Pensionsordning) at borger.dk. Here you can get information related among other things to whether you live abroad, annual costs of ATP, and taxation of ATP.

Jargon busters

  • Udbetaling Danmark (Payment Denmark) is a public authority which is responsible for payment of a number of public benefits to the citizens. These are tasks which were previously dealt with by the country's 98 municipalities.
  • Borger.dk is your portal to the public sector. Here you can get more information about pension benefits and benefits for survivors.
  • NemKonto (Easy Account) is an ordinary bank account which you have beforehand. You can choose for yourself which of your bank accounts is to be your NemKonto account. The public authorities pay into this account.

Forms you may need to fill in

Know your rights

At the links below you can obtain information on your legal rights. They do not refer to European Commission websites and therefore do not represent the views of the Commission:

European Commission publications and website:

Who do you need to contact?

Udbetaling Danmark
Kongens Vænge 8
3400 Hillerød
DENMARK
Tel. +45 70 11 12 13

Beskæftigelsesministeriet (Ministry of Employment)

Holmens Kanal 20
1060 København K
DENMARK
Tel. +45 72205000
Fax +45 33121378
E-mail: bm@bm.dk

ATP Livslang Pension
Kongens Vænge 8
3400 Hillerød
Denmark
Tel. +45 70128000
Monday-Thursday 8.00 am – 4.00 pm.

Friday 8.00 am- 3.30 pm

Get more information at borger.dk. You can also get assistance with service at borger.dk by phoning 1881 or +45 70101881.

If it is not possible for you to use the online self-service facility, you can obtain assistance from the local authority's Citizen Service. Find your local authority's Citizen Service.

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