Basic social assistance for bills

If you apply for basic social assistance to cover other essential expenses, you must provide Kela with the relevant documents, such as bills. Send over the bills when you apply for basic social assistance. 

When the amount of social assistance available to you is calculated, any bills are applied to the month in which their original due date was.  

Basic social assistance is not available to cover collection fees or late charges. 

Usually paid into your bank account 

We will usually pay the social assistance into your bank account. You must use this money to pay the bill yourself.

If you wish, we can also pay the bill directly, for example to your electric company or insurer. Please note that if we pay a bill on your behalf, the amount of basic social assistance paid into your account will be smaller. We will pay the bill only if the amount of social assistance granted to you is enough to cover the bill. Check the decision or notice of payment you get to make sure that all of the bills you asked to be paid directly have been paid. 

Send the bills via OmaKela 

1. Take a picture of the bills or scan them. You can use your phone to take the picture. Please remember to take a picture of all the pages. 
2. Check that the pictures are clear and legible. 
3. Log in to OmaKela. 
4. In OmaKela, go to Lähetä liite (Send an attachment) to send over your bills. 
5. At Mihin asiaan liitteesi liittyy (What does your attachment concern), select Perustoimeentulotuki (Basic social assistance). 
6. Then at Minkä liitteen haluat lähettää (What kind of attachment do you wish to send), select Lasku (Bill).  
7. Finally, at Kenelle lasku maksetaan (To whom do we pay), select either Minulle (To me) or Laskuttajalle (To the payee/biller). 

If you have already been granted basic social assistance, you can send your bills separately if their due date falls within the period for which you receive social assistance. Before sending a bill to Kela, check the decision letter to see for what period you have been granted social assistance. The decision also lists the kinds of expenses where it is possible to send the bill to Kela. 

What to do if you cannot use OmaKela 

If you cannot send your bills via OmaKela, send them by post to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA. Include with your bills the form titled Accompanying form concerning expenses TO3e (pdf). If you do not have this form, write your personal identity code and the following text “Lasku liittyy toimeentulotukeen”.  

If you want the bills to be paid directly, write “Maksetaan laskuttajalle” on them.

Please note that we do not return any bills, so you should send over a copy of your bills and keep the originals. 

Alternatively you can also hand in your bills at any Kela service point. 

Read more