Government proposes to end payment of Finnish national pensions to other EU Member States and EEA countries, Switzerland and the UK as of 1 February 2025

If Parliament approves the government proposal, Kela will no longer pay old-age and disability pensions to recipients in other EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as of 1 February 2025.

The proposed changes will not apply to spouse's pensions, orphan's pensions, child increases or front veteran’s supplements. The changes will also not affect the payment of earnings-related pensions outside Finland.

The proposed legislative amendment has not been approved by Parliament yet.

If your only benefit from Finland was a national pension and your national pension payments are stopped, Finland will no longer be responsible for the costs of your medical care in your country of residence. If this happens, the S1 or E121 form issued to you in Finland will be cancelled. In addition, you will no longer be able to use the European Health Insurance Card issued by Finland. You will receive a separate decision if your entitlement to medical care ends.

Your right to care will also end if Finland has been responsible for the costs of your medical treatment in your country of residence on the grounds that your partner receives a national pension from Finland. In that case, we will send you a separate decision.

If your entitlement to medical care ends and Finland is no longer responsible for the costs of your medical care while you are living abroad, you will need to contact the health insurance institution in your country of residence to find out which country will be responsible for the costs of your medical care from then on. You can then apply for a European Health Insurance Card from the member state that is responsible for the costs of your medical care.

If the proposed changes to the payment of national pensions are implemented, Kela will notify the health insurance institution in your country of residence that your S1 or E121 form has been cancelled. You do not have to take any action.

If you receive an earnings-related pension from Finland, Finland will continue to pay for the costs of your medical treatment in your country of residence.

If your only benefit from Finland was a national pension and your national pension payments are stopped, your right to a care allowance for pensioners will also end. The payment of your care allowance for pensioners will end at the beginning of the month following the end of your pension. You will receive a separate decision about the end of your care allowance for pensioners.

If you receive an earnings-related pension from Finland, your right to a care allowance for pensioners will continue.

If the proposed amendment is adopted, payment of your national pension will end as of the beginning of the month after you move permanently to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

However, payment of your pension would continue if your stay in that country is temporary.

The proposed changes will not apply to spouse's pensions, orphan's pensions, child increases or front veteran’s supplements. The changes will also not affect the payment of earnings-related pensions outside Finland.

If the proposed amendment is adopted, national pensions will become a so-called minimum pension, which is calculated differently from the way national pensions are calculated at present.

If you have previously lived or worked in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your national pension would be regarded as a minimum pension under the new amendment. This would mean that the amount of your pension would be recalculated as a minimum pension the next time your national pension is reviewed.

If Parliament approves the government proposal, Kela will no longer pay old-age and disability pensions to recipients in other EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as of 1 February 2025.

You do not have to do anything at this time. The proposed legislative amendment has not been approved by Parliament yet. We will provide more information on any changes and their timing once Parliament has reviewed the government proposal.

Kela has sent a letter to customers who receive a Finnish national pension and live in another EU or EEA country, in Switzerland or in Great Britain. The first letters were sent on 6 November 2024. The letter informs the customers that the payment of their national pension will stop on 31 January 2025, provided that a Government proposal to that end is approved. The affected customers will receive a separate letter containing a formal decision on the discontinuation of their pension.