Apply for a pension due to partial reduction in earning capacity in the event of occupational disability

Insured persons have the option of applying for a pension due to partial reduction in earning capacity in the event of occupational disability. However, this regulation only applies to people born before 2 January 1961 who are unable to work.

You are deemed to be unable to work if you can work less than six hours a day for health reasons. This applies both to your previous occupation and to another occupation that is reasonable for you.

The pension for partial reduction in earning capacity in the event of occupational disability is calculated on the basis of all pensionable periods that you have accrued up to the onset of occupational disability.

When calculating the pension, it is always checked whether an additional - fictitious - period can be taken into account when calculating the pension amount. The reason for this is that, particularly if you claim your pension at a young age, calculating your pension solely on the basis of the contributions paid in would result in a lower pension entitlement.

This additional fictitious period is known as the additional qualifying period and is the time between the onset of reduced earning capacity and a certain statutory age. This puts you in the same position as if you had paid contributions up to this age.

If your pension starts before the relevant age limit, you will have to accept deductions. For each month that you draw this pension earlier, the deduction is 0.3 per cent, up to a maximum of 10.8 per cent. Seek advice from Deutsche Rentenversicherung.

Limitation of the pension:

  • Pensions due to partial reduction in earning capacity in the event of occupational disability are paid for a limited period. These pensions start at the earliest from the seventh calendar month after the onset of the reduction in earning capacity if you have submitted the pension application in good time. A temporary pension can be extended as part of a continuation procedure.
  • If it is unlikely that your reduced capacity will improve solely for medical reasons, you will receive the pension for partial reduction in earning capacity in the event of occupational disability for an indefinite period from the outset. The pension will then begin at the earliest in the calendar month following the onset of the reduction in earning capacity if you have submitted the application for a reduced earning capacity pension in good time.

Related forms and processes

Prerequisite

This pension is available to persons who

  • were born before 2 January 1961 and are unable to work,
  • have paid three years of compulsory contributions in the last five years before the onset of occupational disability and
  • fulfil the general waiting period of five years
  • This waiting period includes Contribution periods (compulsory contribution periods, under certain conditions, for example, also periods of receipt of sickness benefit, unemployment benefit, unemployment benefit II - from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2010 - or transitional allowance, periods of child-raising, periods of non-occupational home care, voluntary contribution periods), substitute periods, periods from a pension equalisation, periods from supplements for marginal employment (400-euro job exempt from insurance before 2013, 450-euro job exempt from insurance from 2013) and periods from pension splitting.

If the reduction in earning capacity occurred, for example, due to a military or civilian service injury, an accident at work or within six years of training, you may be entitled to a pension under simplified conditions. If necessary, seek advice from Deutsche Rentenversicherung.

Responsible department

  • the municipal or city administration or the insurance office of your place of residence
  • the information and counselling centres of the German Pension Insurance (DRV) or
  • voluntary insurance counsellors

Procedure

You must apply for a partial disability pension in writing or online.

You can also have your pension application recorded at the relevant office. You will then also receive advice and assistance on the subject of pensions.

Send the completed pension application form to your pension insurance provider. If it recognises your pension entitlement, Deutsche Post AG's Pension Service will transfer the monthly pension to the bank details given in the pension application.

You will receive the pension on the last bank working day of the current month.

You should inform the Deutsche Post AG Pension Service immediately of any changes of address or bank details. Forms are available at any post office or online. The Pension Service will automatically report the data to the relevant pension insurance institution.

Deadlines

  • Application for temporary pensions:
    by the end of the seventh calendar month after the start of the reduction in earning capacity
  • Application for unlimited pensions:
    by the end of the third calendar month after the onset of reduced earning capacity

Note: If you submit your pension application later, the pension will only be paid from the start of the month of application.

Required documents

any existing medical documents, such as medical reports, specialist reports, hospital discharge reports

Costs

none

Processing time

As a rule, processing takes a few weeks. It depends on whether, for example, additional specialist examinations are necessary.

Miscellaneous

You may earn a limited amount in addition to your pension due to partial reduction in earning capacity in the event of occupational disability. Find out about the supplementary income limits before starting work.

Appeal

  • Opposition
  • Action

Legal basis

Sozialgesetzbuch (SGB) Sechstes Buch (VI):

  • § 240Rente wegen teilweiser Erwerbsminderung bei Berufsunfähigkeit

Release note

machine generated, based on the German release by: Sozialministerium Baden-Württemberg, 04.06.2025