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Guarantee pension – if you have had a low income

The guarantee pension is part of the national public pension that you receive if you have had little or no pensionable income during your life. No application is required for a guarantee pension, you apply for a guarantee pension in the same application as the other parts of the national public pension.

The guarantee pension is based mainly on how large your national public pension is and how long you have lived in Sweden, but also your marital status.

If you have a low pension and live in Sweden, you can also apply for housing supplement and financial support for the elderly.

Who can receive a guarantee pension?

You may be entitled to a guarantee pension if you have reached the age of 65 and have a low or no income-based pension. The age limit of 65 will probably be changed to 66 in 2023.

To receive a full guarantee pension, it is a requirement that you have lived in Sweden for at least 40 years from the year when you reached the age of 16 and up to the year when you turn 64. If you have in Sweden for a shorter period of time, the guarantee pension will be lower.

To be entitled to a guarantee pension when you live in Sweden, you must have lived or worked in Sweden for at least three years. If you have lived or worked in the EEA or Switzerland (EEA is the EU countries as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), those years can be combined with the time you have in Sweden, but you must have lived or worked in Sweden for at least one year.

If you live in Sweden and previously lived and worked in the EEA or Switzerland (EEA is the EU countries as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), your insurance period in the other country also affects the calculation of the guarantee pension.

If you live or move outside Sweden, other regulations apply, see the heading "Guarantee pension can be paid outside Sweden".

If you have come to Sweden and received a residence permit with a refugee status declaration or a person in need of protection, you may in some cases be able to include your residence period from your previous home country. It is the Swedish Migration Board that decides on a residence permit. If you were born in 1937 or earlier, the guarantee pension acts as compensation for changes that took place in the pension system in 2003.

What affects the size of the guarantee pension?

The guarantee pension is calculated on the time you have resided or worked in Sweden, the EEA or Switzerland (the EEA are EU countries as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

If you have income-based pensions such as an income pension, widow's pension or a foreign pension, the guarantee pension is gradually reduced and is then completely terminated when you reach a certain level. Your marital status also affects the size of the guarantee pension.

What does not affect the size of the guarantee pension?

The size of the guarantee pension is not affected by whether you have a salary, capital or have other benefits paid to you from Sweden or another country, such as an occupational pension and a private pension insurance policy.

Guarantee pension can be paid outside of Sweden

The guarantee pension can be paid to a resident of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the UK under temporary Swedish regulations (EEA is the EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

In order for a guarantee pension to be paid to you if you live in one of these countries, you must have lived or worked in Sweden for at least three years. If you live in another EEA country, your guarantee pension is calculated only on your years in Sweden.

If you have been entitled to a guarantee pension calculated on less than three years in Sweden and then move abroad, your right to a guarantee pension will stop.

Guarantee pension in the UK

If you live in the UK and have been granted a guarantee pension before the UK left the EU (1 February 2020), you have the right to keep the guarantee pension as long as your situation remains unchanged. If you live in the UK and apply for a guarantee pension after the UK has left the EU, you will not be able to receive a guarantee pension as long as you live in the UK.

How you may be affected by the UK leaving the EU (Brexit)

What to consider when moving from or living outside Sweden with a Swedish pension

Report any changes

Keep in mind that you must always report changes that may affect your guarantee pension. This applies to your finances, if you receive a new or changed foreign pension or annuity from another country, if you move or if your marital status changes.

It is important that you report changes, to make sure that you do not miss out on higher compensation or to ensure that you do not receive too much and become liable to reimburse money. Contact customer service to notify your changes.