Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland) can pay you a housing allowance if your income is small. Housing allowance is intended for housing-related costs.

Kela grants housing allowance to a household, that is, all the people sharing a home. So a household may not mean the same as a family. If a friend moves in with you, he or she will become a member of your household. Then you will get less housing allowance.

In general, Kela grants housing allowance in advance for the coming year. If your situation changes during the year, please inform Kela immediately.

Kela can pay the housing allowance to your account or directly to the account of the person who owns your home. Homeowners often ask that the housing allowance will go to their account. Then the money goes directly to the payment of the rent.

Quick online guide to housing benefits (in English)

Housing benefits – kela.fi

If you have small children, you may be entitled to child home care allowance. That means that Kela will pay you an allowance when you take care of your children at home.

If you are about to have a new baby in your family, contact Kela. Before your child is born find out what benefit your family can get from Kela.

Families | Our Services | Kela (in English)

Quick guide to financial aid for students – kela.fi

Financing your studies (infofinland.fi)

School transport subsidy – kela.fi

Quick guide to benefits available during illness and incapacity for work – kela.fi

Unemployment | Our Services | Kela

Social assistance, or income support, is a last-resort form of financial assistance which covers some of the basic necessities of life. Social assistance is intended to be a source of short-term financial aid that helps recipients overcome or avoid temporary difficulties and promotes their autonomy and independence.

Who can get social assistance? If all your income and assets do not cover your essential daily expenses, such as housing, food, medical care and clothing, you can apply for basic social assistance from Kela. Other social security benefits are counted as income. Before applying for basic social assistance you must first consider all other sources of income that could be available to you, and find out if you are entitled to social security benefits such as unemployment or housing allowances. First apply for all other benefits to which you are entitled.

If needed, when you have other unexpected expenses, you can also apply for supplementary or preventive (täydentävä ja ehkäisevä toimeentulotuki) income support at your local social services. However, in order to receive supplementary income support, you must first receive a positive decision on Kela’s social assistance. Ask your local social services for more information.

HOW TO APPLY FOR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

You can apply for social assistance via Kela’s e-service at www.kela.fi/asiointi (in Finnish) or www.fpa.fi/etjanst (in Swedish). If you find it difficult to use the e-service, you can get advice on how to use it at one of Kela’s customer service points. You can also apply for social assistance on a paper form or even by phone. Our address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.

Remember to enclose all necessary documentation!

Most common documentation:

• bank statements
• electricity bill
• home insurance bill
• public health bills

If you apply for the first time, you need to attach bank statements from the previous 2 months.

HOW FAST WILL YOU RECEIVE THE DECISION?

When you submit an application, Kela will process it within seven working days. If your application is urgent, you will receive a decision no later than on the following working day. If your application is incomplete, Kela will send you a clarification request. This will prolong the processing time until you submit the required information. If you fail to submit the required documents during the given time, Kela will process the application without the documents.

You will receive the decision in writing.

If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can appeal.  The decision explains how you can appeal.

 

More information on social assistance:

Social assistance in brief – brochure (pdf)

Social assistance – Kela website

Social assistance – Kela’s brochure in easy Finnish (pdf)

Kela – in easy Finnish

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Quick guide to rehabilitation – kela.fi

The effects of the war in Ukraine on Kela benefits. – kela.fi