Before applying for social assistance, you may need to apply for unemployment benefits, housing allowance, student financial aid, sickness allowance, parental allowances or pensions. 

Since the beginning of February, Kela may reduce the basic component of social assistance by 50% in the following situations: 

• The person has not registered as a full-time jobseeker with the employment services. 
• The person does not apply for other benefits to which they may be entitled. 

For more information about the changes, read Kela’s plain language information leaflets. They are available in Finnish, Swedish, English, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, Somali, Estonian, Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi.  

As part of the changes to social assistance, the basic component for everyone aged 18 or over will be reduced by 2–3%. For a person living alone, this means a reduction of about EUR 18 per month. The change will enter into force on 1 March 2026. 

The way in which the rent component of social assistance is paid has also changed. From February, Kela will pay the rent component of social assistance directly to the landlord if the client has been granted a rent deposit by Kela for their current home as part of social assistance.