Old age pension (GR)

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This chapter includes all you need to know about old-age pensions in Greece.

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Periods of insurance covered in another Member State of the EU, EEA and Switzerland are counted as insurance periods covered in Greece and must be stated in all applications submitted by you.

In what situation can I claim?

To be entitled to an old-age pension, you are required to have reached a certain age and to have accumulated a certain number of insurance days. The right to a pension can be exercised at any time and up until then, insured persons are entitled to continue working.

The general age limit is 67 years and the minimum insurance period is 15 years (4,500 days of employment). The general requirements for receiving a full pension is the accumulation of 40 insurance years (12,000 days of employment) and being 62 years of age.

Furthermore, dependants are entitled to an additional amount per month, on certain conditions.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Full pension: you are entitled to a full pension if you have covered 40 insurance years (12,000 contribution days) and you are 62 years of age or have 15 insurance years (4,500 contribution days) and 67 years of age.

For women: 12,000 contribution days out of which 10,000 completed from 1/1/2013 onwards and 62 years of age, which will be gradually increased to 67 by 2022.

For men: 10,000 contribution days and 67 years of age.

For mothers and widowed fathers of underage children: 5,500 contribution days and 67 years of age.

The requirements for mothers of underage children and for insured in arduous and unhealthy occupations are less stringent.

Reduced pension: you are entitled to a reduced pension if you have covered at least 4,500 insurance days and are 62 years old.

Furthermore, if you were insured for the first time after 1/1/1993, you are entitled to a reduced early pension at the age of 62 if you are the mother of an underage or disabled child and have completed 20 insurance years (6,000 days of employment).

If you were first insured before 1 January 1993, you can receive a reduced early pension on the following conditions:

  • at the age of 62 years provided you have covered 15 insurance years (4,500 insurance days), of which 100 days must be in the 5-year period preceding the pension.
  • at the age of 62 years if you are male and have accumulated 10,000 insurance days, and at the age of 62 if you are female and have accumulated 12,000 insurance days, of which 100 must have been accumulated per year in the 5 years preceding the pension.
  • at the age of 62 years, provided you have covered 35 insurance years (10,500 insurance days), of which 7,500 insurance days involved arduous and unhealthy work.
  • at the age of 50 years if you are the mother or widowed father of a disabled child and have covered 18 insurance years (5,500 insurance days).

Any periods during which invalidity pension, illness benefits and unemployment benefits were received are also counted in, if necessary, with the number of insurance days in order to establish entitlement to a pension.

In certain circumstances, notional years of insurance are also taken into account.

Pensions are subject to tax.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

The main pension is comprised of two components: (a) the national pension which is not financed by contributions, but directly from the State budget, and (b) the contributory pension calculated on the basis of earnings on which contributions have been paid from year 2002 until the month of application for pension, and on the basis of the replacement rate based on the total insurance period. It is granted on a monthly basis.

In order to apply for old age pension you please click at: https://www.efka.gov.gr/el/syntaxioychoi/elektronike-aitese-syntaxiodoteses

Jargon busters

  • Arduous and unhealthy work: see relevant table.
  • Notional years of insurance: specific periods such as studies, strikes, apprenticeships, military service, imprisonment, parental leave, etc. for which contributions are paid retroactively.

Forms you may need to fill in

Know your rights

Publication and website of the European Commission:

Who do you need to contact?

Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA)

International Relations Directorate
ฮ‘ฮณฮฏฮฟฯ… ฮšฯ‰ฮฝฯƒฯ„ฮฑฮฝฯ„ฮฏฮฝฮฟฯ… 8/8, Agiou Konstantinou street

10241 ฮ‘ฮธฮฎฮฝฮฑ/Athens
ฮ•ฮ›ฮ›ฮ‘ฮ”ฮ‘/GREECE
Tel.: +30 210 6783661
Website: http://www.efka.gov.gr

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