Apply for an old-age pension for miners who have been working underground for many years
Description
There are special rules for miners on pensions. This includes the "old-age pension for long-term miners working underground". This old-age pension includes a benefit supplement for long-term work underground and is calculated from all entitlements of general pension insurance and short-term pension insurance.
When you can apply for your pension depends on the year in which you were born. The age limit for retirement will be gradually raised:
- Year of birth from 1964: from 62 years
- Year of birth before 1964: increase to 62 years
You can determine which age limit applies to you in detail using the pension calculator of the German Pension Insurance.
Under certain conditions, you can retire at the age of 60. The prerequisite for this is that you
- were born before 1 January 1964, and
- Adjustment allowance for redundant workers in the mining industry, or
- received the short-lived compensation.
The waiting period (minimum insurance period) for the old-age pension for miners employed underground for many years is 25 years. In addition to the continuous underground work, this also includes months in which you have received adjustment money.
If you receive the old-age pension for long-term underground employees, you may earn up to EUR 6,300 per year without reducing your pension. If you earn more, your pension will be reduced.
If you have worked underground for a long time in mining, you can apply for the old-age pension for long-term miners working underground under certain conditions.
You can apply for the pension for miners who have been working underground for many years in writing, in person or by online procedure.
Written pension application:
- Download the application form for the old-age pension for miners who have been employed underground for many years on the website of the German Pension Insurance. Complete the form in full and compile the required documents.
- You can submit your completed and signed application with the required documents either:
- send by post to the Knappschaft-Bahn-See or
- in one of the local counselling centres.
- When your pension application has arrived, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See checks your application for completeness and, if necessary, requests missing documents.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See checks the requirements for your pension entitlement and your insurance history for completeness. If necessary, it clarifies gaps in the insurance history.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See clarifies other issues, such as your health insurance relationship, whether you earn an accident pension or receive an accident pension.
- If you are entitled to the old-age pension at the desired retirement date, you will receive a pension notice with information on the start, the start of the current payment and the amount. You will also be informed of your rights and obligations.
- If you are not entitled to the old-age pension at the desired retirement date, you will receive a rejection notice with the reason for the rejection.
Pension application via online procedure:
- Go to the online portal of the German Pension Insurance and register. You can use your signature card, your identity card with electronic proof of identity or your electronic residence permit.
- Fill in the old-age pension form for miners who have been working underground for many years and upload the necessary documents. Then submit your pension application online.
- When your pension application has arrived, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See of the German Pension Insurance examines your application for completeness and, if necessary, requests missing documents.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See checks the requirements for your pension entitlement and the insurance history for completeness. If necessary, it clarifies gaps in the insurance history.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See clarifies other issues, such as your health insurance relationship, whether you earn an accident pension or receive an accident pension.
- If you are entitled to the old-age pension at the desired retirement date, you will receive a pension notice with information on the start, the start of the current payment and the amount. You will also be informed of your rights and obligations.
- If you are not entitled to the old-age pension at the desired retirement date, you will receive a rejection notice with the reason for the rejection.
Personal application in consultation:
- Compile the required documents for the application and make an appointment at an information and advice centre of the German Pension Insurance.
- As a rule, your pension application will be received electronically and forwarded online during the consultation.
- when your pension application has arrived, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See of the German Pension Insurance examines the application for completeness and, if necessary, requests missing documents.
- The Knappschaft-Bahn-See checks the requirements for your pension entitlement and the insurance history for completeness.
The pension application can also be made for you by a person of your trust. Please submit a corresponding power of attorney to the Knappschaft-Bahn-See. As long as the power of attorney applies, the Knappschaft-Bahn-See is addressed exclusively to your authorized person.
- You are at least 60 years old.
- They have worked underground for a total of at least 25 years and paid contributions to the short-term pension scheme.
- valid identity card or passport
- Evidence not included in the insurance history, for example:
- Set-off certificates
- Evidence of training periods
- Evidence of unemployment
- Evidence of sick leave
- if another person makes the request:
- Power of attorney or
- Decision of the General Court
If you have submitted your pension in good time, you will receive your old-age pension at the earliest on the first day of the month at the beginning of which all eligibility requirements are met.
If you apply for a pension later than 3 months after the end of the month in which all eligibility requirements are met, you will receive your pension from the first day of the application.
As a rule, you can also determine a later than the earliest possible retirement. This option does not exist if another service provider has asked you to apply for a pension, for example the Job centre.
about 3 months
It is advisable to submit your pension application approximately 3 months before the desired retirement date.
Forms: yes
Online procedure possible: yes
Written form required: yes
Personal appearance necessary: no
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)