Social pension in Bulgaria without a work record (2026)
No work record but need a pension? Conditions for the social old-age and disability pension in Bulgaria, documents, and amounts from 1 July 2026.
Do you not have enough insurance record for a pension under the general rules? The social old-age pension and the social disability pension do not require a minimum insurance record. You can apply with none at all, or with at least a little record (under 15 years), if you meet the other conditions and have not been granted another pension. The information below is current according to the data of the National Social Security Institute (НОИ).
❓How much is the social pension without a work record in 2026?
Source: НОИ, Council of Ministers Decree (ПМС) No. 72 of 24 June 2026
Two options for a pension without a work record
Bulgarian law provides for two kinds of social pension. Neither requires a work record, but they have different conditions:
| Condition | Old age | Disability |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 70+ years | 16+ years |
| Health condition | No requirement | Over 71% ТЕЛК |
| Income test | Yes, mandatory | No |
| Amount from 1 July 2026 | €183.81 (359.50 BGN) | €238.95 to €294.10 |
| Other pension | You must not have been granted one | You must not have been granted one |
Comparison of the two kinds of social pension. Exchange rate €1 = 1.95583 BGN.
How much is the social pension in 2026?
The amount is updated by a decree of the Council of Ministers, usually from 1 July. In 2026 there are two amounts: from 1 January the sum was converted into euro with no real increase, and from 1 July it was increased.
€183.81/month
Social old-age pension from 1 July 2026
Source: ПМС No. 72 of 24 June 2026
| Period | Amount | Act |
|---|---|---|
| from 1 July 2025 | 333.48 BGN | ПМС No. 103 of 25 June 2025 |
| from 1 January 2026 | €170.51 | ПМС No. 103 of 25 June 2025 |
| from 1 July 2026 | €183.81 (359.50 BGN) | ПМС No. 72 of 24 June 2026 |
Amount of the social old-age pension by period
Why does the amount from 1 January look the same?
The social disability pension is calculated as a percentage of the old-age pension, depending on the degree of disability (according to the official data of НОИ):
| Degree of disability | Percentage | Amount from 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| from 71 to 90% | 130% | €238.95 (467.35 BGN) |
| from 91 to 100% | 140% | €257.33 (503.29 BGN) |
| 100% with third-party assistance | 160% | €294.10 (575.21 BGN) |
Amount of the social disability pension according to the degree of disability
If your decision is exactly 71%
Social Insurance Code (КСО)
Art. 90а(2)
Sets the amount of the social disability pension as a percentage of the social old-age pension, divided into three groups according to the percentage of permanently reduced work capacity.
Check which pension you are entitled to by ЕГН
The sums above are the basic amounts. Before you submit an application, see what your НОИ file shows: whether you have any insurance record at all that gives you the right to another kind of pension, and whether you have already been granted a pension. This matters because a social pension is not granted to a person who has already been granted another pension.
Checking in the НОИ portal
The НОИ electronic portal, section “Reports by ЕГН and ПИК”
Enter your ЕГН and ПИК
The ЕГН (personal identification number) is the identifier, the ПИК (personal identification code) is the key. The portal will not let you in with an ЕГН alone. A НОИ ПИК is issued free of charge at a territorial office on presentation of an ID card.
See your record and pensions granted
If the report shows insurance record, first check your right to a pension under the general rules before relying on a social pension.
The detailed steps, the difference between a granted and a projected pension, and what to do if you have no ПИК are described in our guide to checking a pension by ЕГН and ПИК.
Social old-age pension: conditions step by step
If you have turned 70, you may be entitled to a social old-age pension, whether or not you have a ТЕЛК decision. Here are the requirements:
Conditions for the social old-age pension
Turn 70
This is the minimum age, the same for men and women
Check the family's income
НОИ compares the annual income of a family member with 30% of the sum of the poverty line for the last 12 months. The exact threshold depends on the date of the assessment.
Make sure you have not been granted another pension
Neither a Bulgarian one nor one from another country. The condition is that a pension has not been granted to you, not merely that you have not requested one.
Submit an application to НОИ
At the territorial office for your address
Social Insurance Code (КСО)
Art. 89а(1)
Note the word “sum”: the threshold is calculated on the sum of the poverty line over 12 months, not on a single monthly line.
Official Bulgarian text
„Право на социална пенсия имат лицата, навършили 70-годишна възраст, на които не е отпусната друга пенсия, включително от друга държава, когато годишният доход на член от семейството към датата на навършване на възрастта е по-малък от 30 на сто от сбора на линията на бедност, определена за страната през последните 12 месеца.“
Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.
How is the income threshold for the social pension calculated?
This is the most confusing part. The law does not compare your income with a single monthly poverty line, but with the sum of the poverty line for the last 12 months. The poverty line from 1 January 2026 is 764.00 BGN (€390.63) a month and was set by ПМС No. 175 of 3 September 2025. Here is an example only for the case where all 12 months use the 2026 line:
Example with 12 months at the 2026 line
Poverty line × 12 months
€390.63 × 12 = €4,687.56 (9,168 BGN) for the year
Take 30% of this sum
€4,687.56 × 30% = €1,406.27 (2,750.40 BGN)
You get an example threshold
€1,406.27 is the result only if all 12 months use the 2026 line.
€1,406.27
Example threshold with 12 months at the 2026 line
Source: 30% of the sum of the poverty line for 12 months
If you turn 70 in 2026
Who counts as family?
Important: not all income is included in the calculation. Here is what is NOT counted:
Income that is NOT included
These sums are not counted in the income check, according to НОИ
The attendant allowance (добавка за чужда помощ), compensations, indexations and one-off payments to pensions
Including the one-off sums that are often mistaken for income
Benefits under the social assistance rules and targeted heating allowances
Family benefits under Art. 2(2) and (3), items 2-4 of the Family Benefits for Children Act and financial support under Art. 69 of the Persons with Disabilities Act
Social disability pension: conditions
If you have a ТЕЛК decision with more than 71% reduced work capacity, you are entitled to a social disability pension. The conditions are simpler, because there is no income test.
Requirements for the social disability pension
All conditions must be met
Aged 16 or over*
ТЕЛК/НЕЛК (National Expert Medical Commission) decision with more than 71% permanently reduced work capacity*
No other pension granted to you, including from another country*
* Mandatory
No income test!
Social Insurance Code (КСО)
Art. 90а(1)
Official Bulgarian text
„Право на социална пенсия за инвалидност имат лицата, навършили 16-годишна възраст, с трайно намалена работоспособност/вид и степен на увреждане повече от 71 на сто, на които не е отпусната друга пенсия, включително от друга държава.“
If your ТЕЛК is not over 71%
If you have a ТЕЛК/НЕЛК decision of 50% or more, but you do not meet the threshold for a social pension, НОИ cannot grant you a social disability pension. For adults there is separate financial support from the Social Assistance Agency (Агенция за социално подпомагане).
According to the official НОИ page, people over 18 with 50% or more permanently reduced work capacity determined by ТЕЛК/НЕЛК can submit an application for monthly financial support (месечна финансова подкрепа) to the Social Assistance Agency. This is a different payment, from a different institution, under a different law. For people aged 18 to 20 there is an additional condition: they must not be receiving the monthly benefit for a child with a disability under Art. 8д of the Family Benefits for Children Act.
| Social disability pension | Monthly financial support | |
|---|---|---|
| Institution | НОИ | Social Assistance Agency |
| ТЕЛК threshold | Over 71% | From 50% |
| Where to apply | Territorial office of НОИ | Social Assistance Directorate (Дирекция „Социално подпомагане“) |
The two payments are constantly confused. Check which one applies to you.
If you are in this group, see also what you are entitled to at 50% disability.
Download the applications and forms
Here are the direct links to the official НОИ forms. You can submit them at the counter, by post or electronically:
Official forms from НОИ
Click the links below to download directly
Application УП-1 for granting a pension (PDF)
The main application, completed for every kind of pension
УП-4: Declaration of marital status and annual income
Mandatory for the social old-age pension
Submitting the application online (with КЕП or ПИК)
Through the НОИ electronic portal
Direct links:
- УП-1 application for granting a pension (PDF)
- УП-4: Declaration of marital status and annual income
- Submitting the application online (with КЕП or ПИК)
Which form do you need?
Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.
Documents you need
The documents differ depending on the kind of pension you want:
For the social OLD-AGE pension
Application УП-1*
From the НОИ website
Declaration УП-4 of marital status and the annual income of a family member*
Template from НОИ
* Mandatory documents
For the social DISABILITY pension
Application УП-1*
Expert decision of ТЕЛК/НЕЛК*
Valid, with over 71% disability
* Mandatory documents
Where and how to submit the application
For a social pension the application is submitted to НОИ, not to the municipality:
Submission process
Prepare the documents
See the list above for your case
At the counter or by post to the territorial office for your permanent or current address, or online with a КЕП or ПИК
Submit the application
In person or through an authorised person. For a parent, spouse, child or lawyer the signature on the power of attorney does not need to be notarised; for any other person notarial certification is required.
Wait for a decision
The statutory time limit is up to 4 months from the application or from receipt of the necessary documents and data
Online or at the counter
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive a social pension and another pension at the same time? No. The law sets the condition that a pension must not have been GRANTED to you, not merely that you have not requested one. A social pension is not received at the same time as any other kind of pension, including a pension from another country.
What if my spouse has a pension? The spouse’s pension is included in the family’s total income in the calculation for the social old-age pension. НОИ divides the total income by the number of family members and compares it with the threshold for the exact date. The attendant allowance, compensations, indexations and one-off payments to the pension are not counted.
Can I work and receive a social pension? Yes, working is not generally prohibited. For the old-age pension, income from work is included in the income test. For the disability pension, observe the contraindicated working conditions in the expert decision, because failing to do so can lead to the payment being suspended.
For how long is the social disability pension paid? As a rule, for the period of the disability set in the expert decision. Disability pensions of people who have reached the general retirement age under Art. 68(1) of the Social Insurance Code are granted for life. If your decision is for a fixed term, follow the re-examination procedure.
What if I worked abroad without a contract? For both kinds of social pension there is no minimum insurance record requirement. What matters is that you meet the other conditions for the relevant kind of pension and have not been granted another pension.
How do I check whether I have any insurance record at all? Through the НОИ electronic portal with an ЕГН and ПИК. If the report shows record, first check your right to a pension under the general rules. The steps are in our guide to checking a pension by ЕГН and ПИК.
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⚠️ Important
Pravko provides legal information, but it does not replace advice from a lawyer. For important legal matters, consult a licensed lawyer.
