Survivor’s pension in Sweden
In Sweden, when a close relative dies, you can receive survivor’s pension as financial support. Survivor’s pension is a financial security that covers part of the income that the deceased contributed.
Survivor’s pension is part of the national public pension, and comprises child’s pension (barnpension), adjustment pension (omställningspension), and widow’s pension (änkepension). Which pension you are entitled to depends on whether you are under 18, a spouse/partner, or a widow(er).
Survivor’s pension if you live in Sweden
When the Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten) is informed by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) that someone who lives in Sweden has died, the Swedish Pensions Agency assesses whether there are survivors who are entitled to some form of survivor’s pension. When one of your close relatives dies and you are a survivor, the Swedish Pensions Agency will send you a decision informing you about whether you are entitled to survivor’s pension.
In some cases, the agency may ask you for further information before they can decide whether you are entitled to survivor’s pension. In such a case, the agency sends you a letter and asks you to provide the missing information.
Survivor’s pension comprises the following benefits to close relatives
Survivor’s pension consists of three different benefits. Depending on whether you are under 18, a married/registered partner, or a widow(er), you may be entitled to financial support when a close relative dies.
A child may receive survivor’s pension if one or both parents have died. You are also regarded as a child if you are aged 18-20 and are studying at secondary or upper secondary school. Child’s pension is paid until you are at least 18.
If you are under 67, and your spouse or registered partner with whom you cohabit dies, you may receive adjustment pension. This also applies if you live together but are not married, have had or are expecting a child together, or if you have previously been married or registered partners. Adjustment pension is paid for one year. The right to adjustment pension is extended if you are the legal guardian of a minor.
If you are a woman and were married to your spouse on 31 December 1989, you can receive a widow’s pension. If you were born in 1945 or later, and were married all the time until the death, you can receive a widow’s pension if you earned less than your husband.
If you are younger than 67, you receive primarily adjustment pension. You may be entitled to a widow’s pension for the rest of your life, but widow’s pension is generally reduced with part of your retirement pension when you turn 67, or earlier if you decide to draw your pension earlier.
Work-related death
If the death is work-related, the estate can receive help with funeral expenses. As survivor you may also be entitled to an annuity (efterlevandelivränta).
Other pensions you may be entitled to as a surviving relative
Apart from the retirement pension, many people have other types of pension. As a relative, you may also be entitled to financial support from a collective bargaining agreement or an occupational pension from the deceased’s employer. Contact them for further information.
Some people also have private pension insurances that often include support to survivors. This means you may receive financial support from the deceased’s pension insurance.
Survivor’s pension if you live outside Sweden
Swedish survivor’s pension is based on Swedish conditions, and serves as financial support to cover part of the income that the deceased contributed to.
The requirement for entitlement to Swedish survivor’s pension is that the deceased at some time worked or lived in Sweden.
Survivor’s pension is completely based on the deceased’s pensionable income that they earned in Sweden. It is not paid as a fixed amount that applies for everyone. If the deceased had a low pensionable income in Sweden, the survivor’s pension is also low. This applies regardless of whether the survivor has low or no pension in the country in which they live.
If you live outside Sweden, you yourself must apply for survivor’s pension. You also need to apply if the survivor is a child and the deceased parent never lived in Sweden.
The Swedish Pensions Agency can give you more information if you or the deceased live/lived or work/worked in another Nordic country, or if you and the deceased lived in two different countries.
Survivors Guide
In collaboration with the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), the Swedish Pensions Agency has produced a Survivors Guide (Efterlevandeguiden) to make it easier for you if you have lost someone close to you.
The guide can be described as a digital support if you have lost a close relative. In the guide, you can read about how to start when a close relative has died, and what you can expect in the months ahead and subsequent years, for example in terms of division of the estate, inheritance, the estate and coping with grief.
Who should you contact if you have questions?
The Swedish Pensions Agency arranges live online information meetings about The Survivors Guide. At these meetings, you are given up-to-date information and you can ask questions.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.