Eligibility

Persons who are covered under the Finnish social security system are eligible for care allowance for pensioners. One prerequisite for this is that you have lived in Finland or another EU or EEA country or Switzerland for at least three years.

The following questions can help to assess whether you may be entitled to care allowance for pensioners:

1. Do you have a disability or chronic illness that has been diagnosed by a doctor?
2. Has your functional ability been impaired for at least a year, or will it be impaired for at least a year?
3. Does the illness or disability make it more difficult for you to cope with ordinary activities of daily living?
4. Do you need assistance, guidance or supervision for instance

   • with mobility or with use of assistive devices
   • when getting dressed, with personal hygiene or when going to the toilet
   • when eating
   • in seeing, hearing, speaking or remembering things
   • with treatment procedures or medication?
5. Do you receive, or do you fell that you need, outside assistance, such as home help, cleaning help, home health care, meal service, personal assistant or help from a relative?
6. Does the disability or illness cause extra costs, such as costs for home help, home health care or assisted living?

Situations vary individually

If you answered ‘yes’ to three or more questions, you may be entitled to care allowance for pensioners. However, these questions are only indicative. Every person’s situation is different. Therefore the granting of the allowance is determined from case to case.