Disability pension at 50% in Bulgaria: 2026 amounts, rules

Have you received a decision from TELK (ТЕЛК, the Territorial Expert Medical Commission) recognising 50% reduced work capacity, and are you wondering what rights you have? Many people are confused by the percentages, the conditions and the documents. Here is what you need to know about the disability pension in Bulgaria in 2026.

Quick answer: what is the pension at 50% disability?

❓What is the pension at 50% disability from TELK?

✅At 50-70.99% reduced work capacity caused by general illness, the minimum amount is €274.02 (~535.93 BGN) a month from 1 January to 30 June 2026 and €295.38 (~577.71 BGN) from 1 July 2026. You must have the insurance record (осигурителен стаж, the time you have been insured and paid social security contributions) required for your age. If a work accident or occupational disease has been recognised, no insurance record is required and the minimum amount is higher.

Source: National Social Security Institute (NSSI, НОИ), pension amounts, 2026

€295.38

minimum pension at 50-70.99% disability from general illness, from 1 July 2026 (~577.71 BGN)

Source: NSSI (НОИ), 2026

The amount of your pension depends on several factors: the percentage of disability, your insurable income and the insurance record you have built up. The sum above is the guaranteed minimum, which can be higher if your insurable income is higher.

Pension amount by TELK percentage

The higher the percentage of reduced work capacity, the higher the pension. The amounts changed on 1 July 2026, so they are shown by period:

TELK percentage	% of the minimum pension	1 Jan to 30 Jun 2026	From 1 Jul 2026
50-70.99%	85%	€274.02	€295.38
71-90%	105%	€338.49	€364.89
Over 90%	115%	€370.73	€399.64

Minimum amounts for disability caused by general illness

The basis for the calculation is the minimum pension for insurance record and age: €322.37 from 1 January to 30 June 2026 and €347.51 from 1 July 2026. Under certain conditions (for example, the help of another person at over 90%) supplements can increase the amount.

If the disability results from a recognised work accident or occupational disease, the minimum amount is set under different rules and is higher:

Period	Minimum amount
1 Jan to 30 Jun 2026	€322.37
From 1 Jul 2026	€347.51

Minimum amount at 50-70.99% because of a recognised work accident or occupational disease

Conditions for receiving a disability pension

The first condition is the same for everyone: at least 50% permanently reduced work capacity. The second condition, the insurance record, depends on the cause of the impairment, which is written in the TELK decision.

Cause of the impairment	Is an insurance record required?
General illness	Yes, depending on your age
Recognised work accident	No, no insurance record is required
Recognised occupational disease	No, no insurance record is required

If the impairment comes from your work

If a work accident or occupational disease has been recognised, you are entitled to a pension regardless of the length of your insurance record, under Art. 78 of the Social Security Code (КСО). If someone has told you that you do not have enough insurance record, but your impairment is recognised as a work accident or occupational disease, check again: you may be entitled.

For general illness, an insurance record depending on your age on the date the disability arose is required, under Art. 74(1) to (3) КСО:

Insurance record required for general illness

Up to 20 years of age

No insurance record required

Up to 25 years of age

At least 1 year of insurance record

Up to 30 years of age

At least 3 years of insurance record

Over 30 years of age

At least 5 years of insurance record

Part of the record must be actual insurance record

Actual insurance record (действителен стаж) is the time when you were really insured, not a credited period. When the age-based requirement is 1, 3 or 5 years of insurance record, the actual record must be at least 4 months, 1 year or 1 year and 8 months. The National Social Security Institute (NSSI, НОИ) assesses from the documents which periods count.

If the impairment predates your first job

For a congenital or acquired permanent impairment that arose before you first started work, a special rule applies: 1 year of actual insurance record is required, regardless of age, under Art. 74(3) КСО.

Your age is determined on the date the disability arose, as stated in the TELK decision. If the impairment comes from general illness and you do not have enough insurance record, read the section on the social pension below.

Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.

Steps to apply

Once you have a TELK decision with at least 50% disability, follow these steps:

How to get a disability pension

Receive the TELK decision

Your deadline to appeal is 14 days from receiving the decision

14 days to appeal

Gather your documents

Employment record book (трудова книжка), medical documents, application form УП-1

1-2 weeks

Submit the application to the NSSI

In person at an NSSI office or through an authorised representative

up to 1 month after the appeal deadline

Review of the documents

The NSSI assesses your right to a pension

up to 4 months

Receive the decision and the pension

If approved, the NSSI sets the start date. If you met the deadline, it can be the date of your application to TELK, but not earlier than the date the disability arose

Documents you need

Prepare the following documents before visiting the NSSI:

Documents for a disability pension

0/7

Application on form УП-1*

Copy of the TELK/NELK decision*

Documents proving your insurance record (employment record book)*

Certificate УП-3 for insurance record before 1997

If applicable

Certificate УП-2 for insurable income

For periods before 2000

Medical documentation

Discharge summaries, test results

ID card*

* Mandatory documents

You can download the УП-1 application form from the NSSI website. Bring originals and copies of all documents.

Important deadlines

1 month

after the deadline for appealing the TELK or NELK decision expires (NELK is the National Expert Medical Commission, НЕЛК)

After this deadline you do not lose the right to a pension, but it starts from a later date and you lose months of payments!

The deadline is not counted from the date the disability arose. Your deadline to appeal is 14 days from receiving the decision (under Art. 112(1), items 3 and 4 of the Health Act, Закон за здравето). Submit your documents to the NSSI no later than 1 month after your deadline to appeal the TELK or NELK decision expires, under Art. 94(3) КСО.

If you meet this deadline, the start date of the pension (the day from which the money is owed to you) can be the date of your application to TELK, but not earlier than the date the disability arose. If you apply later, the pension is granted from the date of your application to the NSSI. The start date is set by the NSSI based on your documents.

Do not wait!

The count starts from the end of your deadline to appeal, not from the date the disability arose. Your deadline to appeal is 14 days from receiving the decision. Submit your documents to the NSSI no later than 1 month after your deadline to appeal the TELK or NELK decision expires. Every month of delay after this deadline means a lost pension for that month.

If you do not have enough insurance record: the social pension

If you do not have the required insurance record, you may be entitled to a social pension for disability. There are, however, important limitations:

Conditions for the social pension

A social pension for disability is granted only with at least 71% reduced work capacity (not 50%). No insurance record is required, but it cannot be combined with another pension.

With 50% disability caused by general illness and without enough insurance record, unfortunately you are not entitled to a pension. If, however, your impairment has been recognised as a work accident or occupational disease, no insurance record is required and this limitation does not apply to you. You can check whether you have unrecorded insurance record: sometimes employers have not submitted the data on time. See our guide to the social pension without insurance record.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work while receiving a disability pension?

Yes, you can work and receive a disability pension at the same time. There is no limit on income from work. The pension is not reduced.

How long is a TELK decision valid?

TELK decisions are usually issued for 1-3 years, after which you have to go through a re-examination. For lifelong disability there is no re-examination. After you reach retirement age, the pension continues for life.

Can I appeal the percentage set by TELK?

Yes, you have the right to appeal to NELK within 14 days of receiving the decision. An appeal can lead to a higher percentage (and so a higher pension) or confirm the current one.

Conclusion

The disability pension at 50% reduced work capacity is an important form of social protection. For general illness the minimum amount is €295.38 a month from 1 July 2026 (€274.02 for the first half of the year), and for a recognised work accident or occupational disease it is €347.51 from 1 July 2026. Do not put off submitting your documents to the NSSI, because every month of delay after the one-month deadline means lost money.

If you have questions about your specific situation, ask Pravko. We can help you understand your rights and point you to the next steps.