The number of new retirees on a disability pension declined already in 2020, the first year of the corona pandemic. The positive trend continued last year, showing the lowest number of new retirees on a disability pension throughout the 2000s.  

In 2021, roughly 17,500 persons retired on a disability pension. This was a drop of eight per cent (or 1,600 persons) compared to 2020. Nearly every third disability pension was granted as a partial pension. 

The main cause for retirement on a disability pension continued to be mental and behavioural disorders (33%). Musculoskeletal diseases (32%) was the second most common cause for retirement on a disability pension. The number of new retirees on a disability pension declined at the same ratio in both main disease categories. Of the most common causes for retirement on a disability pension, only tumours were on the increase compared to 2020. 

Even when viewed by age group, the decline was even. The share of over-60-year-olds was the only one that remained unchanged. 

“Time will tell if the positive trend is permanent or if we are dealing with a backlog that will clear once the pandemic is over. The trend among the over-60-year-olds is explained by the rising retirement age, which means that retirement on a disability pension is possible only at an increasingly higher age,” explains head of statistics Tiina Palotie-Heino (Finnish Centre for Pensions).

Mental disorders stand out among new young or female disability retirees

The average age of new disability pension retirees was 52 years. A slight majority (54%) were women.  

Among women, mental disorders were the most common reason for retirement on a disability pension. Among men, musculoskeletal diseases were slightly more common than mental disorders. 

Mental disorders was clearly the most common cause (81%) of retirement on a disability pension.  The share of musculoskeletal diseases grows by age. It is nearly 50 per cent among the over-60-year-olds. 

The most common single diagnosis underlying new retirees on a disability pension in 2021 was depression. In 2021, 3,300 persons retired due to depression. That equals 9 persons for each day of the year. 

Two out of three persons retiring due to depression were women. On average, people retiring on a disability pension due to depression were 47 years old. 

Number of disability pension retirees down by more than one third in a decade 

At year-end 2021, a total of 125,000 persons drew an earnings-related disability pension. This was around 5,000 fewer than in 2020. 

In 2011, the number was an ample 200,000. Over a period of ten years, the number of persons on a disability pension has thus been reduced by more than one third. 

Photo: Karoliina Paatos