More People in Denmark Work Past Pension Age for Senior Bonus

More people in Denmark choose to work after reaching pension age. A record 17.5 percent qualified for a senior bonus in 2025. This policy offers tax-free cash for people who stay employed.

ATP announced the new figures recently. ATP manages statutory pensions in Denmark. Last year, 11,351 people received the first senior bonus. That was up from 9,592 people in 2024. In previous years, around 14 to 15 percent qualified.

To qualify, a person must work at least 1,560 hours in 12 months. The first-year bonus is 56,327 Danish kroner. It is a tax-free lump sum. People who work a second year get 33,517 Danish kroner.

ATP paid 546.4 million Danish kroner in first-year bonuses in 2025. In 2024, that total was 446.3 million Danish kroner. Almost 6,775 people got the second bonus in 2025. That was nearly 3,400 more than the previous year.

Senior bonus amounts will rise in 2029. The first bonus will reach nearly 65,900 Danish kroner. The second bonus will reach nearly 39,100 Danish kroner.

Maria Damborg Hald is a director at ATP Group. She said pension age is not always when people stop working. Employment Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen welcomed the trend. She said Denmark needs senior workers for growth and prosperity. (Source: CPH Post)