This section provides current information on conditions for the awarding and payment of pensions to widow’s/widower's and orphans.

In what situation can I claim?

A widow’s/widower's pension (našlių pensija) is a social security benefit paid to the spouse of a deceased person who had Social insurance pension insurance.

An orphans' pension (našlaičių pensija) is a social security benefit paid to the children and adopted children of a deceased person who had Social insurance pension insurance.

Widow’s/widower's can be paid together with other social insurance pensions. Where a person is eligible for both widow’s/widower's and orphans' pension, the larger of these is paid unless the recipient chooses otherwise.

Orphan’s social assistance pensions are payable to those who are not entitled to social insurance orphans' pensions.

What conditions do I need to meet?

The spouse and children (including adopted children) of a deceased person are paid a pension if on the day of death (or day of being declared missing without trace) the person concerned:

• had the right to work incapacity pension or old- age pension;
• had acquired minimum state social pension insurance or equivalent work service record in Lithuania, the European Union or the European Economic Area (the minimum service requirement does not apply where a person has been awarded incapacity benefit, was a political prisoner or in enforced exile).

A widow’s/widower's pension is payable to the spouse of a deceased person:

• who has reached the retirement age irrespective of the age on the day of the spouse's death;
• was disabled at the moment of death of the deceased or within five years after death. The five years term does not apply if the spouse was nursing a disabled child of the deceased person at the time s/he was recognised as disabled; where the spouse and the deceased had no children and had lived together in marriage for at least a year;
• until the spouse remarries.

An orphans' pension or orphan’s social assistance pension is awarded to a deceased’s children or adopted children:

• those aged under 18;
• those aged between 18 and 24 who are full-time students of registered establishments of higher vocational and secondary education;
• persons recognised as disabled before reaching 24 or between 24 and 26 because of an illness or injury which occurred before 24;
• No age limits for children with disabilities (if the disability was recognised before reaching 24 years, the benefit is paid until the disability ceases and for life in case of permanent disability).

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

The Basic State social widow’s/widower's pension is awarded at the basic amount of widows/widowers pensions. From 1 January 2023, it amounts to EUR 34.89.

The monthly Orphan's Pension amount of the orphan‘s pension is 50% of the sum of the general and individual parts of the pension that was due or could have been due to the deceased person. The amount is determined on the basis of either the social insurance pension incapacity for work established for those who have lost 65% or more of their capacity for work or the old-age pension. If there is more than one child entitled to the pension, all of them receive equal parts of the total amount payable. If a child has lost both parents, a pension is paid in respect of each deceased parent.

The orphan’s social assistance pension (šalpos našlaičių pensija) amounts to 0.5 of the social assistance pension base (EUR 92) for each child. When 4 or more children (adopted children) of a deceased person are entitled to receive this, the orphan’s social assistance pension amounting to 1.5 times the social assistance pension base (EUR 276) is divided equally between them.

Jargon busters

SoDra - the State Social Insurance Fund Board under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the principal body that organises social security.

Forms you may need to fill in

• An identity document confirming your survivor or orphan status;
• a death certificate;
• a certificate from an educational establishment for an orphan aged 18-24 and, if required, a certificate from the Disability and Incapacity Service with details of incapacity;
• if a deceased person was not in receipt of a social insurance pension, further documents must additionally be submitted that confirm their length of service, and in some cases insured income.

Applications for receipt of a survivors' or orphans' pension, orphans' social assistance pension should be submitted to the local SoDra branch.

Know your rights

These links will help you find out what your rights are. These are not European Commission websites and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission:

• Laws governing social security payments
• Information on survivors' and orphans' pensions
• Information about charitable contributions

European Commission publications and websites:

• Bereavement payments: your rights as an EU citizen abroad

Who do you need to contact?

SoDra: Tel.: 1883 or +370 52500883

Most local authorities have an internet address - [name].lt (e.g. vilnius.lt)