Important dates around Easter for Kela customers
Due to Easter, the dates for filing unemployment status reports and the benefit payment days are earlier than usual. Customers whose application and other required documents arrive at Kela by 24 March 2023 will have their social assistance payment deposited into their account before Easter. On 6 April 2023, regular customer service will be available until 13:00, with urgent services for social assistance clients staying open until 16:00.
Report your days of unemployment in time
Due to Easter, the dates for filing unemployment status reports and the benefit payment days are earlier than usual. Information about the exceptions is also available in the e-service and on the form for the unemployment status report.
When the period for the unemployment status report ends on 4 or 5 April 2023
- the report can be submitted on 4 April 2023.
- The payments are deposited into the account on 6 April 2023 at the earliest.
When the period for the unemployment status report ends on 6 April 2023
- the report can be submitted on 5 April 2023.
- The payments are deposited into the account on 11 April 2023 at the earliest.
When the period for the unemployment status report ends between 7 April 2023 and 9 April 2023
- the report can be submitted on 6 April 2023.
- The payments are deposited into the account on 12 April 2023 at the earliest.
It is a good idea to file the unemployment status report in the e-service already on the morning of the date of filing the report, so that the report can be processed as soon as possible.
Apply for social assistance well in advance
The last payment date for social assistance before Easter is Thursday, 6 April 2023. Customers whose application and other required documents arrive at Kela by 24 March 2023 will have their social assistance payment deposited into their account by that date.
If a customer is in urgent need of social assistance, the customer should call the customer service number 020 634 2550 or contact a Kela customer service point. This could be, for example, because the customer has an urgent need for a voucher to buy food or medicines.
For persons with an urgent need of social assistance, Kela will operate a helpline and keep a presence at selected customer service points until 16:00 on 6 April 2023. If the customer has urgent need of social assistance outside Kela’s office hours, the wellbeing services county can after due consideration award preventive social assistance. Customers whose situation becomes critical during the Easter holiday may contact the emergency social services helpline of their wellbeing services county.
Opening hours for customer service over Easter
On Maundy Thursday (6 April 2023), the telephone service is open 9:00-13:00, but in urgent situations it is possible to call the customer service number for social assistance until 16:00. For Kela’s customer service numbers, see www.kela.fi/phone-numbers.
Service points open on Thursdays will have changes to their opening hours on Maundy Thursday (6 April 2023). The service points open on Thursdays will close at 13:00, but the following service points will provide service to social assistance clients with urgent needs until 16:00:
- Espoo / Leppävaara
- Helsinki / Kamppi
- Hämeenlinna
- Joensuu
- Jyväskylä
- Kajaani
- Kokkola
- Kotka
- Kuopio
- Lahti
- Lappeenranta
- Oulu
- Pori
- Raisio
- Rauma
- Rovaniemi
- Salo
- Seinäjoki
- Tampere
- Turku
- Vaasa
- Vantaa / Tikkurila.
For the addresses of the service points, see the customer service locator.
Kela’s Sámi-language phone services is open as usual 9:00-11:00 on Maundy Thursday, 6 April 2023.
Kela’s service points and phone service will be closed on the following days:
Good Friday, 7 April 2023
Easter Saturday, 8 April 2023
Easter Sunday, 9 April 2023
Easter Monday, 10 April 2023.
We wish our customers a happy Easter weekend!