One in five old-age pensioners in Norway are now partially protected from the life expectancy adjustment introduced as part of the 2011 pension reform, marking a 42 per cent increase from June 2024, figures from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (Nav) have revealed.

As of June 2025, 221,300 pensioners were covered by the protection supplement scheme, equivalent to around 21 per cent of all old-age pensioners.

The measure was strengthened as part of the 2024 pension settlement to improve outcomes for disabled people, with Nav department director, Ole Christian Lien, stating: “In the pension settlement in 2024, it was decided to strengthen the old-age pension for disabled people. We are now seeing the effect of this.”

The scheme is designed to protect those who previously received disability benefits against the life expectancy adjustment, which reduces annual pensions in line with rising longevity.

While people in employment can offset this reduction by working longer, disabled people do not have this option.

They therefore receive a supplement to their old-age pension to partially shield them from the adjustment.

On average, the supplement amounts to NOK 4,500 annually, and coverage under the scheme has expanded significantly, with more cohorts included from 1 January 2025.

While it previously applied to those born between 1944 and 1953, it now also covers those born between 1954 and 1962 who have received disability benefits.

This expansion has been particularly visible in the 67 to 69 age group.

For example, in June 2024, no one in this bracket was covered, but by June 2025, 47,300 people were included.

Women make up the majority of recipients, with 135,900 women - around six in ten - among those receiving the protection supplement in June 2025.

The protection scheme is designed to offset around half of the life expectancy adjustment.

Nav explained that this allows disabled people to receive a total retirement pension comparable to what an able-bodied person with the same earnings could achieve by working longer to compensate for half of the adjustment.

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