General housing allowance for different types 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
• 73 per cent of the interest on your housing loan, up until 31 December 2024.

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.

Interest on a housing loan

If you have a housing loan, 73 per cent of the monthly interest is accepted as housing costs until 31 December 2024. If you are granted housing allowance after that date, the interest on your housing loan is not accepted as housing costs.

If the payment of your housing allowance has started before 1 January 2025, your allowance may be adjusted if your household applies for a review of the housing allowance as of 1 January 2025 or a later date.

Personal loans taken out to purchase a right of occupancy are taken into account as housing costs. When it comes to housing loans, only the part of the interest paid by the household is accepted as housing costs.

Only loans issued by a credit institution which is under public supervision, such as a bank, are accepted.

Not accepted as housing loans are

• loans issued by a contractor or employer
• Remaining balance of the purchase price.

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.

General housing allowance can be paid for the housing costs of units in a housing co-operative until 31 December 2024. As of 1 January 2025, general housing allowance will no longer be available for the housing costs of units in a housing co-operative.

You can apply for housing allowance if you live in a housing cooperative unit that you own. Households must own at least 50% of the home in order to qualify for housing allowance.

Housing allowance can be paid for the following housing costs until 31 December 2024:

• Maintenance charge
• water and heating charges which are paid separately
• 73% of the interest on your housing loan.

Water

Water charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the maintenance charge. 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 maintenance charge.

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.

Interest on a housing loan

If you have a housing loan, 73% of the monthly interest is accepted as housing costs. This includes personal loans taken out to purchase or modernise a home.

Only the part of the interest paid by the household is accepted.

Only loans issued by a credit institution which is under public supervision, such as a bank, are accepted.

Not accepted as housing loans are

• loans issued by a contractor or employer
• Remaining balance of the purchase price.

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.

General housing allowance is available for the housing costs of an owner-occupied single-family home until 31 December 2024. As of 1 January 2025, housing allowance will no longer be available for the housing costs of owner-occupied single-family homes.

You can apply for housing allowance if you live in a single-family home which you own and which is located in Finland. Households must own at least 50% of the home in order to qualify for housing allowance.

General housing allowance can be paid for the following housing costs until 31 December 2024:

• costs of maintenance, i.e. water and heating charges or other expenses of living in a single-family house
• 73% of the interest on housing loans.

There are certain standard rates at which the costs of maintaining a single-family home are recognised. You do not have to report your actual water, heating or other housing costs to Kela.

Standard rates for recognised costs of maintaining a single-family home, 2023

Etelä-Savo, Pohjois-Savo and Pohjois-Karjala

• 1-person households: EUR 162 per month
• 2-person households: EUR 195 per month
• 3-person households: EUR 245 per month
• 4-person households: EUR 289 per month
• Households of more than 4 persons: EUR 289 + EUR 89 per month for each additional person

Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Kainuu and Lapland

• 1-person households: EUR 168 per month
• 2-person households: EUR 203 per month
• 3-person households: EUR 254 per month
• 4-person households: EUR 300 per month
• Households of more than 4 persons: EUR 300 + EUR 93 per month for each additional person

All other regions

• 1-person households: EUR 155 per month
• 2-person households: EUR 187 per month
• 3-person households: EUR 236 per month
• 4-person households: EUR 278 per month
• Households of more than 4 persons: EUR 278 + EUR 86 per month for each additional person

Interest on a housing loan

If you have a housing loan, 73% of the monthly interest is accepted as housing costs. This includes personal loans taken out to purchase or modernise a home.

Of the interest payable on housing loans, Kela recognises as housing costs only the part paid by the household.

Only loans issued by a credit institution which is under public supervision, such as a bank, are accepted.

Not accepted as housing loans are

• loans issued by a contractor or employer
• Remaining balance of the purchase price.

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

• real estate tax
• ground rent
• waste management charges
• payment protection insurance payments on a loan
• internet access

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.