Changes to the amounts of child support and child maintenance allowance in 2025
The amounts of child support and child maintenance allowance payments will increase on 1 January 2025 in response to the rise in the cost-of-living index. Persons liable for maintenance must make sure to pay the correct amount of child support.
Child support payments and child maintenance allowances are linked to the cost-of-living index, which will rise by about 1.08% on 1 January 2025. Starting from the beginning of 2025, the full child maintenance allowance will be EUR 198.13 per month per child. The full amount is currently EUR 196.02 per month, which means that the monthly allowance will increase by EUR 2.11. The index adjustments are applied automatically to child maintenance allowance payments.
Due to the rise in the cost-of-living index, also the amounts of child support payable will go up. The formula for calculating the child support is the following: amount of child support in 2024 × (2343 : 2318) = amount of child support in 2025. Starting in January, persons liable for maintenance must thus pay about 1.08% more in child support.
Kela will not inform persons liable for maintenance of the new amount of child support, so they must themselves make sure to pay the correct amount of child support.
If Kela pays child maintenance allowance because the person liable for maintenance has neglected to pay the confirmed child support, the person liable for maintenance can check the new amount of child support in the OmaKela e-service at the latest at the beginning of January 2025. If the child maintenance allowance paid by Kela is based on child support confirmed abroad, the recipient of the child maintenance allowance must themselves inform Kela of any changes in the amount of the child support.
The income limits to qualify for an exemption on payment of child support debt will be adjusted as well. Persons liable for maintenance qualify for the exemption if their monthly income does not exceed EUR 1,338.86. The income limit goes up by EUR 334.72 per month for each additional underage child. However, the income limit is not increased for children who have been granted child maintenance allowance.
Glossary
Person liable for maintenance: Parent who is required to pay child support under a maintenance agreement or court order.
Child support: Payment made by the person liable for maintenance to provide economic security to a child who no longer lives permanently with him or her.
Child maintenance allowance: Family benefit paid by Kela to provide economic security to children who are not adequately provided for by both parents.
Differential allowance: Child maintenance allowance paid by Kela at a reduced rate if child support has been set at an amount lower than the full child maintenance allowance due to the liable parent's limited ability to pay.
Child support debt: Outstanding payments of child support which Kela will collect from the person liable for maintenance after granting a child maintenance allowance. The child support debt includes interest for late payment.