For one child
EUR 94,88 per month
Child benefit
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Kela pays child benefit for children under 17 years of age who live in Finland.
Can I get child benefit?
You can receive child benefit if you meet the following requirements:
- your child is under 17 years of age
- you are the child’s parent, guardian or another person responsible for the care of the child
- you live permanently in Finland with your child.
Child benefit is paid from the beginning of the month following the birth of the child. Child benefit is paid until the end of the month in which the child turns 17 years old.
If the parents do not live together, they can decide which one of them will receive the child benefit. If they cannot come to an agreement, Kela will pay the child benefit to the parent that the child is living with and who has the principal responsibility for the care and upbringing of the child.
If the child moves in with the other parent, the payment of child benefit will continue unchanged unless the parents apply for a change to the payment.
Adoptive families
Adoptive parents are entitled to child benefit in the same way as biological parents. Child benefit can be granted once the child has received a personal identity code. Child benefit is paid starting from the date when the child is placed in your care.
Multiple-birth families
Multiple-birth families get child benefit according to how many children there are in the family.
Stepfamilies
When you form a stepfamily, you are no longer entitled to the single-parent supplement to child benefit, but the amount of child benefit may increase through the child benefit paid for the other children in the stepfamily. If, for example, the family consists of a mother with two children and a father with one child and all child benefits are paid to the same person, child benefit is paid for three children.
Moving to Finland
You can receive child benefit if you move to Finland permanently with your child. If you are applying for a benefit for the first time after moving to Finland and your entitlement to benefits provided by Kela has not been determined yet, please notify Kela of your move to Finland. You can let Kela know about your move in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) or on the form Moving to Finland Y77e (PDF).
If you work in Finland, you can receive child benefit even if you and your child do not live in Finland permanently. You may also be entitled to child benefit on the basis of employment if your child lives in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland.
Moving abroad
You can receive child benefit for a child who is temporarily staying abroad if the child is permanently resident in Finland. Kela will assess whether the move is temporary or permanent.
You can receive child benefit even if the child stays abroad for more than 6 months if the child is a family member of a student, a posted employee or a person working abroad for the Finnish government, for example.
If you start working in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland, you can receive child benefit if the child still lives permanently in Finland or the other guardian works in Finland.
How are benefits from two different EU countries coordinated?
In some situations, you can receive child benefit from Finland at the same time as your family receives family benefits from another EU or EEA country or Switzerland. In such situations, the benefits from the two countries will be coordinated. In the other country, the names of the benefits and their conditions may be different from those in Finland. When coordinating the benefits, the Finnish benefits taken into account also include the child benefit.
If the child’s guardians work in different countries, the child’s country of residence is primarily responsible for paying the benefits. If only one of the guardians works and they work in a country other than where the child is resident, the country where they work is primarily responsible for paying the benefits.
You cannot choose the country from which you will receive family benefits yourself. Your family benefits will be paid by the country that is considered primarily responsible for paying them. The primarily responsible country pays the benefits in full according to its own conditions. In addition, if the benefits from the other country are larger, the other country will pay you the difference. In practice, this means that you will receive the same total amount regardless of which country pays your benefits.
Examples of situations where family benefits are coordinated
Moving to work in Finland with children
Dieter has moved with his children from Germany to Finland for work. The children’s other parent stayed behind to work in Germany.
Since both parents work, family benefits are paid by the children’s country of residence. Therefore, the family receives their family benefits from Finland.
In addition, if the amount of family benefits from Germany is larger than the amount of family benefits from Finland, Germany pays the difference.
Working in an EU country while the child lives in Finland
Anna and her family live in Finland, and she is on child care leave. The child’s other parent works on board a vessel flying the Swedish flag and is covered under Swedish social security.
Since only one parent works, benefits are paid by the country where the parent works. Therefore, the family receives their family benefits from Sweden.
In addition, if the amount of family benefits from Finland is larger than the amount of family benefits from Sweden, Finland pays the difference.
Working in Finland while the child lives in an EEA country
Erik works in Finland. His child and the child’s other parent live in Norway. The parent that lives in Norway does not work.
Since only one parent works, family benefits are paid by the country where the parent works. Therefore, the family receives their family benefits from Finland.
In addition, if the amount of family benefits from Norway is larger than the amount of family benefits from Finland, Norway pays the difference.
The parents work in different countries
Liisbet works in Finland. Her child and the child’s other parent live in Estonia. The other parent runs their own company in Estonia.
Since both parents work, family benefits are paid by the children’s country of residence. Therefore, the family receives their family benefits from Estonia.
In addition, if the amount of family benefits from Finland is larger than the amount of family benefits from Estonia, Finland pays the difference.
The parents have two different types of contracts in an EU country
Kaisa’s Finnish employer sends her to work in the Netherlands for 2 years. She has a certificate A1 from the Finnish Centre for Pensions indicating coverage under the Finnish social security system (etk.fi). Kaisa's child and the child's other parent also move to the Netherlands. The child’s other parent works for a local employer in the Netherlands.
Since both parents work, family benefits are paid by the children’s country of residence. Therefore, the family receives their family benefits from the Netherlands.
In addition, if the amount of family benefits from Finland is larger than the amount of family benefits from the Netherlands, Finland pays the difference.
You can get more information about the payment of benefits by calling Kela at 020 634 0200.
How much is the child benefit?
The amount of the child benefit increases with the number of children. This includes children who are under 17 years old and eligible for the child benefit. The increased amount is available only if all child benefits are granted to the same person.
The child benefit is tax-free income.
For the second child
EUR 104,84 per month
For the third child
EUR 133,79 per month
For the fourth child
EUR 173,24 per month
For the fifth and each additional child
EUR 192,69 per month
Increases to the child benefit paid for children under three
Kela pays an increase to child benefit for children under 3 years of age. The increase is 26 euros per month.
Example
There are four children in a family, two of them under three years of age. The amounts of child benefit paid for the children are as follows: EUR 94.88 + EUR 104.84 + EUR 133.79 + EUR 173.24 = EUR 506.75. In addition, a supplemental amount of EUR 26 is paid for each of the two children who are under three. The total amount of child benefit paid to the family comes out as follows: EUR 506.75 + EUR 26 + EUR 26 = EUR 558.75 per month.
You can apply for a single-parent supplement to the child benefit if you are not married or cohabiting or if you are legally separated from your spouse. The single-parent supplement is payable even if the parents have shared custody of the child. It can be granted from the beginning of the month following the month when you moved out.
You will receive a single-parent supplement for each child for which you receive child benefit.
The single-parent supplement is EUR 73.30 per month.
Read how a divorce or marriage or cohabitation may affect Kela benefits.
In the Åland Island the child benefit is financed by the Åland Government. The amounts are slightly higher than on the mainland.
For the second child
EUR 143 per month
For the third child
EUR 185 per month
For the fourth child
EUR 214 per month
For the fifth and each additional child
EUR 259 per month
In the Åland Islands, the single-parent supplement is EUR 80 per month for each child who lives with you and is entitled to a child benefit.
You can claim the single-parent supplement if you are not married or living together or if you are legally separated from your spouse. The supplement is available also if the parents have joint custody of their child. It is granted from the beginning of the month following the change in family circumstances.
Child benefit payment dates in 2024
| January-April | May-August | September-December |
| 26 January | 24 May | 26 September |
| 23 February | 26 June | 25 October |
| 26 March | 26 July | 26 November |
| 26 April | 23 August | 20 December |
How to apply for child benefit
You can apply for child benefit either on a form or in the OmaKela e-service. OmaKela is currently only available in Finnish and Swedish. Kela’s forms are also available in English.
Apply in OmaKela
- Apply for child benefit in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish). Residents of the Åland Islands claim child benefit from Kela. You can only apply for single-parent supplement if you also receive or apply for child benefit.
If you already receive child benefit and a new child is born to your family, complete a new application. Please note that any increases to the child benefit are only paid to the applicant to whom Kela pays child benefit also for the other children. All the child benefits are paid into only one bank account. - Applications for child benefit usually do not require any supporting documents. If you need to submit a supporting document, take photographs of the supporting documents and send them in OmaKela.
- Visit the OmaKela e-service to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefits will be paid. You can also see possible reminders concerning, for instance, any documents missing from your application. You will also get a decision by post if you have not given up paper mail.
Apply on a form
Fill in and print the form Child benefit LL1e (PDF). Residents of the Åland Islands claim child benefit from Kela.
If you already receive child benefit and a new child is born to your family, complete a new application. Please note that any increases to the child benefit are only paid to the applicant to whom Kela pays child benefit also for the other children. All the child benefits are paid into only one bank account.- Applications for child benefit usually do not require any supporting documents. If you need to submit a supporting document, send it along with your application.
Send the application and any supporting documents by mail. The address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefit will be paid. You will also see reminders of, for instance, supporting documents missing from your application. The decision notice will also be sent to your home address unless you have opted out of paper mail.
The decision notice is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English language customer service numbers.
Things to remember when you apply for child benefit
Apply for child benefit and the single-parent supplement within 6 months of the date from which you wish to receive it.
If you have applied for child benefit for a child who is about to be born, you will receive a decision on the child benefit after the child has been born. The decision will be issued within one month of the birth.
Report changes that affect the child benefit
Use the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) to report any changes in your circumstances affecting the payment of child benefit so that we will pay you the correct amount and you will not have to pay it back later. If you wish to cancel the child benefit, you can do so in the OmaKela e-service under Ilmoita muutoksista (Report changes). Please submit a new application for child benefit if you are applying for child benefit for a new child or applying for the single-parent supplement.
Starting or ending a cohabiting relationship and getting married or divorced will have an effect on whether you are entitled to the single-parent supplement to your child benefit. You must apply for or cancel the single-parent supplement yourself.
If you wish to change the recipient of the child benefit from one parent to the other, the person applying for the benefit must fill in an application for child benefit.
If your family or child permanently moves abroad or to the Åland Islands, cancel the child benefit from the date of the move. However, you can still receive child benefit during a temporary residence abroad, for example during a student exchange.
If your child is applying for a study grant or disability pension, cancel the child benefit. Child benefit cannot be paid simultaneously with a study grant or disability pension.
If you wish to change the recipient of the child benefit to a child aged 15 or over, Kela can pay the child benefit directly to the child at the child’s own request in certain situations. An example of a situation where a child can be the recipient of child benefit is when the child lives independently for study reasons. Please contact our customer service to discuss the matter.
What else is going on in your life?
Does your child need more care than usual?
The child can be awarded disability allowance, if the child needs regular treatment and rehabilitation due to illness or disability.
Does your child have a severe illness or disability, because of which you cannot work?
If you have to stay off work due to the child’s severe illness or disability, you can apply for special care allowance to compensate for the loss of earnings.
Do you need help with your housing costs?
Housing allowance can compensate for reduced incomes and help with the housing costs. Read about the types of costs for which you can get housing allowance.
When money is tight
You can apply for social assistance if your income, assets and benefits are not enough to cover your necessary living expenses, such as food and housing.