Submit a bank statement when you apply for social assistance
On this page:
When you apply for social assistance, you must provide a bank statement in support of your application. Your application will be processed more quickly if you send the bank statement at the same time as the application.
If the bank statement is missing, we will ask you to provide it. We will make a decision on your application within seven working days of receiving your bank statement. If we do not receive a bank statement, we may have to turn down your application.
Do not forget to send a bank statement!
Missing or incorrect bank statements are the most common reasons for turning down applications for social assistance.
For your first application, you need to provide bank statements for the past two months for all bank accounts you or your family members have in Finland or abroad. Bank statements are also required for accounts such as savings accounts and gambling accounts. Here, ‘family members’ refers to all the people who are given a joint decision on social assistance.
If you are submitting a follow-up application, you must provide any bank statements we requested from you in the previous decision. Look up the section of the decision titled “What to do next” to see what bank statements and other supporting documents you must provide with your next application.
What kind of bank statement is required?
The bank statement must be issued by a bank and show the following information:
- the bank account number
- the name of the account holder
- the initial and final balance on the account
- what the account is for
- a complete list of transactions
- the period that the statement covers.
A screenshot showing the transactions in your mobile banking app or a receipt printed from an ATM are not accepted as bank statements.
How to send bank statements in OmaKela
- Save your bank statements in pdf format from your online bank to your computer or mobile device. Alternatively, you can take photographs of the bank statements or scan them. You can use your phone to take the picture. It is important to include all of the pages of the bank statement.
- Send the bank statements and other supporting documents for your application in OmaKela. OmaKela is available in Finnish and Swedish.
- Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been processed, how much benefit you will get and when it will be paid. You will also see reminders to submit any missing supporting documents.
You can also log in to OmaKela on the customer computers at our service points. Most of Kela’s service points have computers, scanners and printers for customer use, and we provide guidance on how to use them.
What to do if you cannot send your bank statement in OmaKela
If you cannot send your bank statement in OmaKela, send it by post to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA. Include with your bank statement the form titled Accompanying form concerning expenses TO3e (pdf). If you do not have the TO3 form, write your personal identity code on the bank statement and make a note on it that it concerns social assistance.
Alternatively, you can hand in the bank statement at a Kela customer service point.