Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK): Pension statistics
Keywords
disability pensions
pensions
Classifications
Geographical classification
Municipality, sub-region, region, area for the regional state administrative agency, major region, Mainland Finland/Åland, hospital district, university hospital special responsibility area, whole country
Age classification
Ages 25-64
Classification by sex
male, female, combined
Data content
The indicator gives the number of people aged 25-64 receiving disability pension as % of total population of same age at the end of the year. In the indicator bank, population figures refer to mid-year population. The figures therefore differ somewhat from those given in the publications compiled jointly by the Finnish Centre for Pensions and the Social Insurance Institution. Disability pensions include individual early retirement pensions. The statistics include those receiving disability pension under either an earnings-related pension system or the national pension system or both.
Interpretation
Disability pension recipiency describes a long-term or permanent incapacity for work. Disability pension is most frequently associated with the diagnostic groups of mental disorders and musculoskeletal diseases and, among individual diseases, with depression and back diseases. Incapacity for work reflects morbidity only partly as other factors exist that influence retirement, such as the concerned person's financial situation and unemployment. Disability pensions should thus only be used with caution in analysing the prevalence of diseases.
In the analysis of the time series data, it should be taken into account that changes in the age limits concerning individual early retirement pensions have influenced the number of pensioners in the oldest age groups. Long-term unemployment and the number of those receiving unemployment pension have also affected the number of those who have started to receive disability pension. It should also be taken into account with regard to the indicator that the figures are not age-adjusted.
In the interpretation of the indicator content, it is necessary to take into account changes in the age limits of individual early retirement pension and the influence of other benefits on the use of disability pensions especially in the oldest age groups (unemployment pension and "unemployment pension pipeline", public sector occupational old-age retirement age limits, part-time pension).
Restrictions
Individual level data are confidential. For the sake of privacy protection, no data with less than 7 cases are published.
Additional information
Esko Ruhanen (firstname.lastname@kela.fi)
Heidi Nyman (firstname.lastname@etk.fi)
Legislation
Legislation on earnings-related pensions (TEL, LEL, YEL, MYEL, VEL, KVTEL, etc.) and the National Pension Act.
Between 1995 and 1997, the lower age limit of individual early retirement pension was gradually raised from 55 to 58 years, and between 2003 and 2003 further to 60 years. As of 2008, no further individual early retirement pensions will be granted.
Recommendations
Remarks
Alongside the indicators describing disability pension recipients, it is advisable to take account of the following indicators:
- Sickness allowance, recipients aged 25-64 per 1000 persons of same age (305)
- Unemployed people, as % of labour force (181) - Long-term unemployed, as % of unemployed population (326)
