General housing allowance for different types of housing
You can get housing allowance for a rental, right-of-occupancy or part-ownership home. The home must be located in Finland and be suitable for permanent habitation.
Housing allowance is not available for all types of housing costs. Instead, so-called acceptable housing costs are defined for each type of housing. For example in a rented home, this includes the rent and any charges paid separately for water and heating. The size of the home is not relevant.
Read about maximum housing costs.
General housing allowance will no longer be available for owner-occupied homes in 2025
December 2024 was the last month for which general housing allowance was available for housing costs for owner-occupied homes, such as maintenance charges, maintenance costs for single-family homes and interest payments on housing loans. The change does not apply to the housing allowance for pensioners.
Select your type of housing
You can get housing allowance if you live permanently in a rental home located in Finland. When applying for housing allowance, you must have a written rental agreement.
Housing allowance can be paid for the following housing costs:
- rent
- charges for water and heating that are not part of the rent.
If the rent includes electricity, Kela deducts the part of the rent that goes towards electricity. In other words, the housing allowance does not cover the amount you pay for electricity.
Water
Water charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent. Up to 20 euros per person and per month is accepted.
Heating
Heating charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent.
For 1-person households the amount of heating charges accepted is EUR 66 per month. If the household consists of more than one person, EUR 22 per month is added for each additional person.
In certain regions, a higher amount of heating costs is accepted:
- In Etelä-Savo, Pohjois-Savo and Pohjois-Karjala up to EUR 69 per month is accepted as heating costs for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
- In Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Kainuu and Lapland up to EUR 71 per month is accepted as heating costs for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
Housing costs for which you cannot get housing allowance
Kela does not accept as housing costs certain other housing-related payments which are paid separately. These include
- electricity
- sauna
- laundry room
- parking
- internet access
- furniture.
Only the costs that you or a member of your household have are accepted as housing costs. This means, for example, that if your employer or a company pays part of your housing costs, that part is not accepted.
If you have a subtenant, the amount of rent paid by the subtenant is deducted from the accepted housing costs.
You can get housing allowance if you live in a right-of-occupancy home located in Finland. Housing allowance can be paid for the following housing costs:
- maintenance charge
- water and heating charges which are paid separately.
Water
Water charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent. Up to 20 euros per person and per month is accepted.
Heating
Heating charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent.
For 1-person households the amount of heating charges accepted is EUR 66 per month. If the household consists of more than one person, EUR 22 per month is added for each additional person.
In certain regions, a higher amount of heating costs is accepted:
- In Etelä-Savo, Pohjois-Savo and Pohjois-Karjala up to EUR 69 per month is accepted as heating charges for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
- In Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Kainuu and Lapland up to EUR 71 per month is accepted as heating costs for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
Housing costs for which you cannot get housing allowance
Kela does not accept as housing costs certain other housing-related payments which are paid separately. These include
- electricity
- sauna
- laundry room
- parking
- internet access
- furniture.
Only the costs that you or a member of your household have are accepted as housing costs. This means, for example, that if your employer or a company pays part of your housing costs, that part is not accepted.
You can get housing allowance if you live in a part-ownership home located in Finland. In order to qualify for the allowance you must have a written rental agreement.
Housing allowance can be paid for the following housing costs:
- rent
- charges for water and heating that are not part of the rent.
Water
Water charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent. Up to EUR 20 per person and per month is accepted.
Heating
Heating charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent.
For 1-person households the amount of heating charges accepted is EUR 66 per month. If the household consists of more than one person, EUR 22 per month is added for each additional person.
In certain regions, a higher amount of heating costs is accepted:
- In Etelä-Savo, Pohjois-Savo and Pohjois-Karjala up to EUR 69 per month is accepted as heating costs for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
- In Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Kainuu and Lapland up to EUR 71 per month is accepted as heating costs for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
Housing costs for which you cannot get housing allowance
Interest payable on a loan taken out to make the down payment on a part-ownership home is not recognised as a housing cost.
Kela does not accept as housing costs certain other housing-related payments which are paid separately. These include
- electricity
- sauna
- laundry room
- parking
- internet access
- furniture.
Only the costs that you or a member of your household have are accepted as housing costs. This means, for example, that if your employer or a company pays part of your housing costs, that part is not accepted.
Which types of home count as owner-occupied homes?
Owner-occupied homes include units in a housing co-operative and other types of owner-occupied homes, such as single-family homes. A unit in a housing co-operative is an owner-occupied home in a house owned by a housing co-operative.
Kela considers the home to be an owner-occupied home even if there is a rental agreement for the home, if
- the household owns at least 50 percent of the home or
- the home where a self-employed person lives is held by a company or real estate corporation and the self-employed person owns at least 50 percent of the company.
A legislative change took effect on 1 January 2025, due to which general housing allowance payments for owner-occupied homes ended at the beginning of the year. The change does not apply to right-of-occupancy or part-ownership homes. General housing allowance will continue to be available for such homes. However, in the case of right-of-occupancy homes, interest payments on housing loans will no longer be recognised as housing costs. The change does not apply to the housing allowance for pensioners.