Administrative services A-Z

Forms: yes

Online procedure possible: yes

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

• Application for old-age pension for severely disabled people at the German Pension Insurance for download
• Online application for old-age pension for severely disabled people without registration
• Online application for old-age pension for severely disabled people with signature card
• Online application for an old-age pension for severely disabled persons with online identification function of the identity card or an electronic residence title
• Open cached online application

With the pension for severely disabled people, you can receive an old-age pension before reaching the standard retirement age without or with a deduction of up to 10.8 percent.

If you were born between 1952 and 1963, the age limit for a deduction-free pension will be gradually raised from 63 to 65. If you were born in 1964 or later, the age limit is 65. However, you can also claim the old-age pension for severely disabled people prematurely – at the earliest three years before reaching the age limit for a deduction-free retirement pension for severely disabled people – with a deduction (maximum 10.8 percent).

Special case of "protection of legitimate expectations": If you were born before 1 January 1964, were severely disabled on 1 January 2007 and received adjustment allowance for redundant mining workers, you can continue to receive the old-age pension for severely disabled persons at the age of 63 without deductions for reasons of legitimate expectations. With a discount of 10.8 percent, you can then claim the pension early at the age of 60.

Before you apply, you should clarify the insurance history in your retirement account. In this way, you can add any missing times and have an account clarified (which you can apply for at the German Pension Insurance).

Note: The pension entitlement continues to exist even if the severe disability is cancelled while receiving the pension.
 

They are:

• severely disabled at the beginning of the pension,
• meet the minimum insurance period (qualifying period) of 35 years and
• have reached the relevant age for you.

Severely disabled persons are all persons with a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 50 (highest possible GdB: 100). Your severe disability is proven by the severely disabled person ID card or notice. It must be applied for at the pension office and must be available at the start of your pension.

The waiting period of 35 years includes:

• contribution periods,
• replacement times,
• crediting periods,
• Consideration periods due to child-rearing and consideration periods due to care,
• Waiting period months from pension equalisation or pension splitting
• waiting months from surcharges on pay points for earnings from marginal insurance-exempt employment, and
• Waiting months from surcharges on pay points for remuneration from marginal employment for which employees are exempt from compulsory insurance.

If you were born between 1952 and 1963, the age limit for a deduction-free pension will be gradually raised from 63 to 65. If you were born in 1964 or later, the age limit is 65. However, you can also claim the old-age pension for severely disabled people prematurely – at the earliest three years before reaching the age limit for a deduction-free retirement pension for severely disabled people – with a deduction (maximum 10.8 percent).
 

• Identity card or passport
• Severely disabled person's pass or notice
• in the case of application by other persons:
  • Power of attorney or
  • Order of the Court of First Instance.
     

none

You can apply for the old-age pension for severely disabled people in writing, in person or online:
Written pension application:

• Download the application form for the old-age pension for severely disabled people on the website of the German Pension Insurance. Fill out the form completely and compile the required documents.
• You can submit your completed and signed application with the required documents either:
  • send it by post to your pension insurance institution or
  • at one of the local counselling centres.

Pension application via online procedure:

• Go to the online portal of the German Pension Insurance. Log in there with your signature card, your identity card (if electronic proof of identity is activated) or your electronic residence title.
• Fill out the pension form for severely disabled people and upload the necessary documents. You then submit your pension application online.

Personal application in the consultation:

• Compile the necessary documents for the application and make an appointment at an information and advice centre of the German Pension Insurance.
• During the consultation, your pension application is usually recorded electronically and forwarded online.

Note: Your pension application can also be submitted for you by a person you trust. Please submit a corresponding power of attorney to your pension insurance provider. As long as the power of attorney is valid, your pension insurance institution will only contact your authorised representative.
 

• Applying for a pension: until the end of the third calendar month following the end of the month in which you meet the eligibility conditions.
• Pension benefit: from the calendar month at the beginning of which you meet the conditions for entitlement to the pension.

Note: If you apply for the pension later, it will be paid from the calendar month in which you applied for the pension.
 

Your competent pension insurance institution.

• Addresses and service numbers of the competent institutions of the German Pension Insurance

You can find the pension insurance institution responsible for you via the information and advice centre finder of the German Pension Insurance.

Phone: 0800 1000-4800 (Toll-Free)
Service hours:
Monday to Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Information and advice centre finder of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on the service telephone for deaf and hearing-impaired people on the website of the German Pension Insurance

• § 37 Sixth Book of the Social Code (SGB VI)
• § 236a Sixth Book of the Social Code (SGB VI)

• Information on old-age pensions for severely disabled people on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on how to apply for your insured pension on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on additional earnings on the website of the German Pension Insurance
• Information on technical terms from pensions and rehabilitation on the website of the German Pension Insurance

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)