Basic amount of social assistance
The basic amount is based on a calculation of the amount needed to cover the essential costs of daily living, such as food and clothing.
In 2024, the basic amount of social assistance for persons living alone is EUR 587.71 per month.
The basic amount is included in your expenses
The basic amount is not a sum of money that is paid to you. The basic amount is taken into account as an expense in the calculation of social assistance. Learn more about how the amount of social assistance is calculated.
A basic amount is calculated for each recipient
The rates of the basic amount are set in the Finnish Social Assistance Act. The rates are adjusted annually according to the National Pensions index.
Applicant or family member | Basic amount, |
|---|---|
| Person living alone | 587,71 |
| Person aged 18 or over sharing a household | 499,55 |
| Single parent | 669,99 |
| Person aged 18 or over living with their parent(s) | 429,03 |
| Children aged 10-17 years, oldest sibling | 411,40 |
| Children aged 10-17 years, second oldest sibling | 382,01 |
| Children aged 10-17 years, third oldest sibling and all other children, each | 352,63 |
| Children aged under 10 years, oldest sibling | 370,26 |
| Children aged under 10 years, second oldest sibling | 340,87 |
| Children aged under 10 years, third oldest sibling and all other children, each | 311,49 |
The application is usually made by one family member on behalf of the whole family. Check whether you need to apply for social assistance with your own, separate application or together with your family. That affects your basic amount.
If a child spends half of their time with one parent and half with the other parent or guardian, the child belongs to both families. In such a case, the basic amount for the child is divided equally between the two families that receive social assistance. Read more about the impact of children’s dual residence arrangements on social assistance payments.
Reducing the basic amount
Everyone has the obligation to look after themselves and to seek a livelihood according to the best of their ability. Kela can reduce the basic amount of your social assistance if, for example you have for no reason turned down an offer of work or public employment service that would provide you with sufficient funds to support yourself for a reasonable length of time.
Before Kela reduces the basic amount of your social assistance, you will be given an opportunity to tell us your own view of the situation and explain why you think your basic amount should not be reduced. At the same time, you can also explain why reducing your basic amount would be unreasonable or in what way it would put your essential means of subsistence at risk. If we ask for your opinion on reducing the basic amount of your social assistance and you have already corrected the situation that caused us to consider reducing the basic amount, please explain how your situation has changed.
If your basic amount is reduced, the reduction will only apply to the basic amount calculated for you. In other words, the reduction will not affect the basic amount of anyone else in your family. The basic amount can be reduced for a maximum of 2 months at a time. Kela may reduce the basic amount by a maximum of 20 per cent or a maximum of 40 per cent.
Are you between 17 and 64 years old and applying for social assistance? You must first register with the TE Services as an unemployed jobseeker who is available to the labour market, if
- you are not employed or self-employed
- you are not a full-time student
- you are not able to accept work because you are in institutional care or because of a diagnosed illness.
However, you do not need to register with the TE Services if
- you receive a sickness allowance or partial sickness allowance
- you receive a disability pension
- you receive a rehabilitation subsidy or a benefit based on full incapacity for work
- you are incapable of work within the meaning of the Health Insurance Act or the National Pensions Act, even if you have not been granted any of the above-mentioned benefits.
- you receive an old-age pension or early old-age pension
- you are entitled to a pregnancy allowance, you receive special pregnancy allowance, parental allowance or special care allowance, or you have been granted a leave on account of pregnancy and childbirth or child care
- you receive farm closure compensation
- you receive a rehabilitation allowance or a compensation for loss of income on account of rehabilitation
- you receive a years-of-service pension under the legislation on earnings-related pensions
- you have some other good reason similar to the above for not accepting work.
Kela may reduce the basic amount by a maximum of 20 per cent if
- you have caused by your own actions a situation where work or public employment service cannot be offered to you; for example
- you have not registered with the TE Services as an unemployed jobseeker who is available to the labour market, even if you are required to do so
- you have continued for an extended period of time to operate an unprofitable business that does not provide you with sufficient funds to meet your expenses
- you are studying and not securing an income through financial aid for students or some other benefit or means that take precedence over social assistance
- you have, without good cause, turned down an offer of work or public employment service that would provide you with sufficient funds to support yourself for a reasonable length of time
- you are between 18 and 24 years of age and do not have any vocational qualifications, and have withdrawn from or declined a course of education or training, making you ineligible for unemployment benefits
- you have, without good cause, withdrawn from or declined to participate in rehabilitative work activity
- you have declined to participate in drawing up an activation plan or multidisciplinary employment plan
- you have declined, without good cause, to draw up an integration plan or to participate in the employment promotion measures in the plan
- you have caused by your own actions a situation where an integration plan cannot be drawn up.
If Kela is considering a reduction of your basic amount by up to 40 per cent, we will refer you to the social services in your wellbeing services county for an evaluation of your service needs.
Kela may reduce the basic amount by a maximum of 40 per cent if both of the following conditions are met:
- After your basic amount has been reduced by a maximum of 20 per cent, you continue to act in a way that warrants reducing your basic amount by a further 20 per cent.
- You decline, without good cause, to participate in an evaluation of your service needs performed by the social services of your wellbeing services county.
Your basic amount will not be reduced by more than 20 per cent if you participate in the evaluation of your service needs.
If we at Kela are considering reducing your basic amount, we have the right to receive relevant information about your situation from the social services. If the decision is made to reduce your basic amount, we will inform the social services of your wellbeing services county about it.
If you need help with your situation, you can request an evaluation of your need for services from the social services of your wellbeing services country. You can always contact Kela if you want to discuss matters related to social assistance. We will arrange a time for a discussion within 7 working days. We can also arrange to meet you together with a social worker from the wellbeing services county. We will arrange a joint meeting at your request.