The number of new retirees on a disability pension took a turn down in 2020. A total of 19,100 persons retired on an earnings-related disability pension last year, which is around 1,000 fewer than in 2019. 

The main cause for retirement on a disability pension continued to be mental and behavioural disorders (33%). Musculoskeletal diseases (31%) was the second most common cause for retirement on a disability pension. 

The number of new retirees decreased in both main disease groups in the same proportion. When viewed by age group, the decline is centred on the age groups 45–59-year-olds and under 25-year-olds. 

“How the corona pandemic affects retirement on a disability pension is still uncertain. Let’s hope that the number of new retirees on this pension benefit continues to decline. It is also possible that avoiding care during the pandemic may lead to rising numbers of new disability pension retirees,” says Head of Statistics Tiina Palotie-Heino (Finnish Centre for Pensions). 

Depressions drives ten persons to retire on a disability pension each day 

The average age of the new retirees on a disability pension was 52 years. A slight majority (53%) of the new retirees on this benefit were women.  

The clearly most common reason for retirement on a disability pension among women was mental disorders. For men, musculoskeletal diseases was a slightly more common reason for retirement on a disability pension. 

Depression continued to be the main single cause for retirement on a disability pension. In 2020, a total of 3,600 persons retired on a disability pension due to depression. That means ten persons per day. The amount decreased slightly from 2019. 

“Fortunately, the number of granted disability pensions decreased slightly among both men and women,” Palotie-Heino explains. 

Two out of three new retirees on a disability pension due to depression are women. 

Number of earnings-related disability pension retirees decreased significantly in one decade 

At year-end 2020, a total of 130,000 persons drew an earnings-related disability pension. This was nearly 4,000 fewer than in 2019.  

In 2010, 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.   

Most often, mental disorders (44%) underlie retirement on a disability pension. The second most common cause are musculoskeletal diseases (24%).  

People who retire due to mental disorders are usually younger than other retirees on a disability pension, and they return to work less often than do those who suffer from diseases in the other disease categories.   

“On average, those who retire on a disability pension due to mental disorders spend longer in retirement than those who have retired due to musculoskeletal diseases,” Palotie-Heino explains. 

Read more

• Earnings-related Pension Recipients in Finland (OSF) (statistical page on etk.fi)

Photo: Karoliina Paatos