Kela encourages customers to give up paper mail – possible to receive most decision notices electronically
It is already possible for customers to receive most decision notices on Kela benefits electronically. Kela hopes that customers will to an increasing extent give up paper mail.
For some time now, Kela customers have had the option to receive documents from Kela electronically whenever available. The number of paperless benefit decisions has slowly increased.
The goal with going paperless is not only to deliver big financial savings but also to make an environmental impact. For next year, savings of as much as 4.5 million euros are expected due to reduced printing and mailing costs.
– We are now in a situation where it is possible to receive most decision notices and letters from Kela exclusively in the e-service. Almost 500,000 Kela customers have already given up paper mail, says Anu Lantonen, Chief Product Owner.
The customer receives the decision notice faster in the e-service than by letter. When the customer has given up paper mail the customer receives an e-mail or a text message when the decision notice is available in OmaKela.
The choice to opt out of paper mail is left to each customer. The choice can be made in the OmaKela e-service.
Find out here which decisions and documents are available electronically: Decisions and documents in the OmaKela e-service
The envelope encourages to give up paper mail
Kela encourages customers to give up paper mail through a campaign that starts in November. The perhaps most visible part of the campaign is a new print for Kela’s envelopes. On the front and back of the envelope there is an invitation to give up paper mail and instructions on how to do it.
– The new print for the envelopes is very significant when we are talking about an organisation of the size of Kela. Customers receive about 12 million letters from us this year. Previously the basic colour of the envelope has always been blue, now the new colours are black and green. If the campaign gets visibility, the number of letters sent from Kela can be significantly smaller already next year, estimates Minna Latvala, Communications Manager for Kela’s customer communications.
In addition to the envelopes, the campaign is also visible for instance on kela.fi and in social media.
Do as follows if you wish to give up paper documents:
- Log in to the OmaKela e-service using the link on the kela.fi home page.
- Go to Päivitä omia tietojasi (Update your information).
- Under Omat tiedot (My details), select Luovu paperipostista (Give up paper documents) and answer ”kyllä” (yes) to the question ”Haluatko luopua paperipostista?” (Do you wish to give up paper documents?).
- Enter a phone number or an e-mail address and give Kela permission to send you messages. You will be notified of new decisions or letters by text message or e-mail.