The Danish pension system

There are various kinds of pensions in Denmark. This page provides an overview of them. You can read more about pensions at borger.dk.

Statutory pensions and benefits

You can read more about Danish retirement pension (old age pension), senior pension and disability pension on the Info Norden website.

ATP Lifelong Pension

The ATP Lifelong Pension is a statutory pension scheme to which most people contribute. Under it, your pension is automatically paid out when you reach retirement age.

In the event of your death, your spouse, partner or children receive a lump sum from ATP.

You can read more about ATP at borger.dk.

If you receive certain social benefits, such as unemployment benefit, parental benefit, early retirement pension, flexible employment, disability pension, cash benefits, senior pension or sickness benefit, the state will pay pension contributions for you.

You can see the full list of benefits and read more about the obligatory pension at borger.dk.

Early retirement pension

Early retirement pension (efterløn) is a scheme that gives you the opportunity to withdraw from the labour market four years before you reach your retirement age. You must meet certain conditions in order to be entitled to early retirement pension. The conditions that apply to you depend on when you were born.

In order to receive an early retirement pension when you reach early retirement age, you must be a member of an unemployment insurance fund, you must have paid early retirement contributions for 30 years, and you must have begun making the payments no later than your 30th birthday.

You can read more (in Danish) at borger.dk.

Labour market pensions and individual pensions

Labour market pension schemes are agreed upon between the labour market partners, through collective agreements for specific areas of work. Ask your employer for information about the pension schemes available at your workplace.

An individual pension is a savings scheme that you set up with a bank or pension fund, independently of your employer.

Most Danish banks and pension funds are registered with PensionsInfo, which can also provide an overview of your Danish pension schemes. You must have a Danish NemID to access this information.

If you have questions about your pension plans, contact your pension fund or bank.

You can read more at borger.dk.

If you are self-employed

Self-employed persons earn the right to retirement pension like everyone else, but do not have a labour market supplementary pension, and can choose whether to contribute to ATP Lifelong Pension.

You can read more at borger.dk.

Further information