Online service for pensioners

The Single Social Security Entity (EFKA) is launching a new electronic service that seeks to end the need for repeated visits by citizens to the fund’s offices, the time-consuming process of finding various documents and the many months or even years of anxiety about the progress of pension applications.

The backlog for new pensions is already shrinking rapidly – it fell below 60,000 in June – bringing the goal of clearing it by the end of the summer within reach. The next step for the Labor Ministry is improving customer services at social security funds.

This so-called “EFKA Digital Room” will allow new retirees to monitor the course of their pension application, talk to the person responsible for their file and be informed immediately if any supporting documents are missing, among other services – all from their home computer. The ministry estimates that the time it takes to issue a new pension will be shortened significantly, preventing a fresh pile-up of pending applications.

Based on its plan, this two-way communication between EFKA and citizens may also be extended to other transactions with the fund.