Rehabilitation allowance

The purpose of the rehabilitation allowance is to provide economic security during rehabilitation.

You can qualify for a rehabilitation allowance if you are between 18 and 67 and participate in rehabilitation. If you were born before January 1, 2009, the minimum age is 16 years. After completion of a waiting period, you can receive rehabilitation allowance payments for days in which you participate in a rehabilitation measure that lasts at least four hours (including travel time) or otherwise prevents you from working and earning a living.  A partial rehabilitation allowance may be available if your daily working hours have been reduced by 40% or more on account of participation in rehabilitation.

You will usually be paid either a salary or a rehabilitation allowance during participation in rehabilitation. If you are paid a salary, Kela will pay your rehabilitation allowance to your employer. If the allowance is higher than your salary, you get the difference. If you are not employed or are not paid a salary, Kela will pay the rehabilitation allowance to you.

Types of rehabilitation

You can be paid a rehabilitation allowance during participation in rehabilitation services arranged by Kela, an occupational health provider or your wellbeing county.

Persons under 20 can also be paid a rehabilitation allowance for young persons during intensified rehabilitation.

You can also get the rehabilitation allowance while you attend adaptation training, a rehabilitation course or family rehabilitation where the client is  a person who is close to you.

Rehabilitation allowance before the start of rehabilitation and between two rehabilitation periods

If you are in vocational rehabilitation through Kela, you can get rehabilitation allowance while you wait for the rehabilitation to begin or during the time between two rehabilitation periods. You can get also receive rehabilitation allowance for young persons for that time. This requires that the rehabilitation allowance and rehabilitation allowance for young persons is necessary to secure your financial situation and the progress of the rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation allowance and rehabilitation allowance for young persons paid before rehabilitation or between two rehabilitation periods is 20 percent smaller but at least a specified minimum amount. During a single calendar year, you can get rehabilitation allowance and rehabilitation allowance for young persons before rehabilitation and between two rehabilitation periods for a maximum of three months in total. A longer payment is possible for special reasons only.

Kela can also pay you rehabilitation allowance and rehabilitation allowance for young persons if your participation in rehabilitation is interrupted for a short period of time by illness or other reason. In that case, the amount of the regular rehabilitation allowance or the rehabilitation allowance for young persons will remain unchanged.

Coordination with other benefits

Rehabilitation allowance is not available if you receive

• an old-age pension
• a full compensation for loss of income paid under a motor insurance, compulsory workers’ compensation insurance, or military accidents or injuries scheme.

Other benefits may affect the amount of the rehabilitation allowance.

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