Wegweiser Occupational disability · Pension & insurance Deutsch

🩺 Rehabilitation before pension

Before the Deutsche Rentenversicherung grants a reduced earning capacity pension, it must examine whether medical or vocational rehabilitation can maintain or restore the capacity to work – the principle of "rehabilitation before pension" (Reha vor Rente).

Rehabilitation before pension § 9 SGB VI Medical rehabilitation Vocational rehabilitation § 116 SGB VI Participation (Teilhabe)

In brief

§ 9 SGB VI obliges the pension insurance to provide benefits for participation (rehabilitation) in preference to a pension for reduced earning capacity if this can maintain, improve or restore the capacity to work. For this reason, the pension insurance can, of its own motion, reinterpret an application for a reduced earning capacity pension as a rehabilitation application (§ 116 Abs. 2 SGB VI).

This does not mean that the pension will be refused – but that it is first examined whether a medical rehabilitation (e.g. follow-up treatment after hospital) or a vocational rehabilitation (benefits for participation in working life, such as retraining or a job suited to your condition) is enough to make you able to work again.

Step by step

  1. Have the need for rehabilitation assessedMedical documents and the pension application itself give the pension insurance indications of a possible need for rehabilitation.
  2. Respond to the reinterpretationIf your pension application is reinterpreted as a rehabilitation application, check the notification carefully – you can object under narrow conditions.
  3. Go through the rehabilitation measureMedical rehabilitation or benefits for participation in working life (LTA) are meant to maintain or restore the capacity to work.
  4. Apply for the pension again if success is insufficientIf rehabilitation is not enough, the route to the reduced earning capacity pension remains open – see the topic page on requirements and application.

Deadlines

No statutory deadline
There is no fixed deadline for the question of whether rehabilitation before pension applies. The pension insurance decides in each individual case; deadlines only arise with a specific notice of decision or objection.
Watch out – common mistakes
  • You can object to the reinterpretation of your pension application as a rehabilitation application (§ 116 Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB VI), for example if rehabilitation obviously appears unreasonable for health reasons – but this should not be done lightly, because a rejected rehabilitation application does not automatically speed up the pension examination.
  • Under § 9 Abs. 2 SGB VI, rehabilitation benefits may be omitted if they are obviously futile or unreasonable for health reasons – this too must be examined in the individual case and, if necessary, challenged.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

§ 9 SGB VI: priority of prevention and rehabilitation

The priority applies both in relation to the pension for reduced earning capacity and – under § 9 Abs. 1 SGB VI – in the principle of "prevention before rehabilitation before pension".

Reinterpretation of the pension application

§ 116 Abs. 2 SGB VI allows the pension insurance to treat a pension application as a rehabilitation application if this is likely to restore the capacity to work; insured people can object to this under the conditions named in the law.

Transitional allowance during rehabilitation

During a rehabilitation measure, a transitional allowance (Übergangsgeld) is usually paid to secure your living expenses – the exact amount depends on previous income and is not given here as a fixed amount, as it is calculated individually.

Who is responsible
  • Deutsche Rentenversicherung as the rehabilitation provider
Further reading
Reduced earning capacity pension: requirements, qualifying period and applicationObjection against the rejection notice for the reduced earning capacity pension

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Rehabilitation before pension“?
Before the Deutsche Rentenversicherung grants a reduced earning capacity pension, it must examine whether medical or vocational rehabilitation can maintain or restore the capacity to work – the principle of "rehabilitation before pension" (Reha vor Rente).
Which deadlines and figures matter?
No statutory deadline: There is no fixed deadline for the question of whether rehabilitation before pension applies. The pension insurance decides in each individual case; deadlines only arise with a specific notice of decision or objection.
What should I do first?
  • Have the need for rehabilitation assessed: Medical documents and the pension application itself give the pension insurance indications of a possible need for rehabilitation.
  • Respond to the reinterpretation: If your pension application is reinterpreted as a rehabilitation application, check the notification carefully – you can object under narrow conditions.
  • Go through the rehabilitation measure: Medical rehabilitation or benefits for participation in working life (LTA) are meant to maintain or restore the capacity to work.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • You can object to the reinterpretation of your pension application as a rehabilitation application (§ 116 Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB VI), for example if rehabilitation obviously appears unreasonable for health reasons – but this should not be done lightly, because a rejected rehabilitation application does not automatically speed up the pension examination.
  • Under § 9 Abs. 2 SGB VI, rehabilitation benefits may be omitted if they are obviously futile or unreasonable for health reasons – this too must be examined in the individual case and, if necessary, challenged.
Evidence
  • §§ 9, 116 SGB VI (gesetze-im-internet.de)
As of

September 2026 · Sources and method

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