New online calculator for the general housing allowance is simple and easy to use also on mobile devices

Customers on a low income can use the Kela housing allowance calculator to estimate whether they could be eligible for general housing allowance payments. The new calculator meets the accessibility standards for public services.

A new online calculator for the general housing allowance is available at Kela.fi. Customers on a low income can use the calculator to check their eligibility for general housing allowance. The calculator is available in Finnish and Swedish.

Particular attention in developing the new calculator was paid to the needs of users on mobile devices. The calculator is now clear, easy to use and accessible to different types of users, according to Rolf Lillkaas, system development specialist at Kela.

“Because the law requires Kela to make sure that its services are accessible to all, the calculator naturally meets the accessibility standards for public services”, Lillkaas says.

In the context of online services, accessibility means that the service was designed with the needs of different types of users, including persons with vision impairment or the elderly, in mind. Accessible online services must be easy to use, clear in content and usable on a range of devices, including screen reader software.

The calculator is used 3,500 times a day

In developing the new housing allowance calculator, Kela collected feedback from customers and from Kela’s customer service staff about using the old calculator. The new calculator is an attempt to address the shortcomings identified with the old calculator.

It is easier to use because it walks users through the process of entering the necessary information. Users can easily pull up more information about things such as how income affects the housing allowance.

The calculator has also been updated visually.

The general housing allowance calculator is used about 3,500 times a day, more than any other of Kela’s online benefits calculators. There is great demand for the new calculator, which caters to a large customer segment.

Feedback and suggestions for improvement about the new housing allowance calculator may be sent by email to kelafi@kela.fi

Check out Kela’s online benefits calculators: Calculators | Individual customers | Kela (in Finnish) or Calculators | Individual customers | Kela (in Swedish)