Child increase for pensioners

Can you get a child increase?

You can get a child increase if you receive a pension that entitles you to the increase and:

• you or your spouse or partner have a child under 16 years of age who lives in Finland in the same household as you
• you live with a child under 16 years of age who is privately placed in your care
• you have a child under 16 years of age who lives elsewhere in Finland and whom you support financially.

For a child living elsewhere, you can only get a child increase if your financial contribution to the maintenance of the child is at least equal to the child maintenance allowance available from Kela (EUR 196.02 per month). Such situations can occur if you pay child support or if you buy different necessities for the child and the child visits you, for example. Child support payments collected from you through an enforcement order are taken into account. Kela investigates whether these expenses are equal in amount to the child maintenance allowance.

Pensions that entitle you to a child increase include:

• old-age pension and early old-age pension provided by Kela
• rehabilitation subsidy and disability pension provided by Kela
• old-age pension and early old-age pension provided by an authorised pension provider
• rehabilitation subsidy, disability pension, partial rehabilitation subsidy, partial disability pension and years-of-service pension provided by an authorised pension provider
• occupational accident pension and life annuity paid on the basis of statutory worker’s compensation insurance
• occupational accident pension and life annuity paid on the basis of the Military Injuries Act
• disability pension paid on the basis of statutory motor liability insurance
• compensation for loss of income paid on the basis of statutory motor liability insurance. (The compensation will not entitle you to a child increase until one year after the traffic accident.)

How much is the child increase?

The child increase is tax-free income. The amount is adjusted yearly in line with changes in the National Pensions Index.

Payment date

The payment date of the child increase is determined by the first letter of your surname:

• A–K: 4th of the month
• L–R: 14th of the month
• S–Ö: 22nd of the month.

If banks are closed on the scheduled payment date, the child increase is paid on the nearest preceding banking day.

How to apply for a child increase

1. Complete the form Application - Child increase for pensioners EV 264e (pdf).
2. Send the application in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish):

   • Save the completed application form on your device. Note that the form must be in PDF format.
   • Log in to OmaKela and select Tee hakemus (Submit an application).
   • Select Eläkkeet (Pensions) and then Eläkkeensaajan lapsikorotus – tee hakemus (Child increase for pensioners – submit an application).
   • Select the benefit, upload the application form from your device and press Lähetä (Submit).
   • When you send your application online, you do not need to sign it.
3. Take photographs of the supporting documents and send them in OmaKela. The application will tell you which supporting documents you need to send.

   • If the child does not live with you, you should also send proof of payment of child support or other evidence showing how you contribute to the maintenance of the child.
4. Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been processed, how much you will get and when your benefits will be paid. You can also see reminders about any documents that may be missing from your application. The decision notice will also be sent to your home address unless you have given up paper mail.

If you cannot file the application in OmaKela, complete and print out the form. Send the application and any supporting documents by mail. The address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.

When to apply

The best time to apply for a child increase is when you apply for a pension.

However, it is possible to apply for a child increase later as well. Applications can be made retroactively for up to 6 months. For example, if you apply for a child increase on 1 January 2024, you can receive it from 1 July 2023.

Report changes that affect your child increase

Tell Kela if there are changes to the maintenance of the child or if the child moves out of your home.

You do not need to notify us when the child reaches the age of 16. The payment of the child increase will end automatically at the beginning of the month following the child’s 16th birthday.