Flexible care allowance

You can get flexible care allowance from Kela if you work 1–30 hours a week while caring for your child, who is under 3.

Can I get flexible care allowance?

You can get flexible care allowance if you meet the following requirements:

• you are the parent or other guardian of a child
• you are the child’s parent or other guardian
• you look after your child, who is under 3 years of age
• you are employed in the private or public sector or are self-employed and insured under the self-employed persons’ (YEL) or farmers’ (MYEL) pension scheme, and will remain so the entire time for which you are applying for flexible care allowance.
• you work 1–30 hours per week or no more than 80% of normal full-time hours.

All the hours you work as an employee or self-employed person count as your working hours. You must work each week for which you are applying for flexible care allowance.

Flexible care allowance can also be claimed by a non-custodial parent who looks after their child.

Flexible care allowance is available even if the child attends municipal or private early childhood education.

How much flexible care allowance can I get?

Your working hours can vary week to week, but the average number of hours you work may not exceed the maximum.

You must pay tax on the flexible care allowance.

For what time can I get flexible care allowance?

You can get flexible care allowance starting from the day your baby is born. However, you cannot get flexible care allowance for the same period of time as pregnancy or parental allowance. Flexible care allowance can be paid until your child reaches the age of 3.

It is not paid for periods shorter than one month. The allowance period does not have to start from the beginning of the month.

The flexible care allowance is available retroactively for six months from the date of the application.

How to apply for flexible care allowance

You can apply for flexible care allowance either on a form or in the OmaKela e-service. OmaKela is currently only available in Finnish and Swedish. Kela’s forms are also available in English.

Apply in OmaKela

1. File an application for the flexible care allowance in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish). If you live in the Åland Islands you should apply for flexible care allowance from your municipality of residence.
   
   If both parents wish to apply for flexible care allowance, each must apply separately Under Additional information, indicate when the two of you will take time off work for child care.

2. Take photographs of the supporting documents and send them in OmaKela. Check the application to see which supporting documents you need to submit.

3. Visit the OmaKela e-service to see if your application has been decided, how much allowance you will get and when it will be paid. You will also see possible reminders concerning, for instance, any documents missing from your application. Kela will also send you a decision notice by post unless you have chosen not to receive paper mail.

Apply on a form

1. Fill in and print out the form the application form for flexible care allowance WH 9e (pdf). 

2. Enclose additional documents in support of the application as necessary. The application form includes information on which supporting documents you need.

3. Send the application and any supporting documents by mail. The address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.

4. Visit OmaKela to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefit will be paid. You will also see reminders of, for instance, supporting documents missing from your application. The decision notice will also be sent to your home address unless you have opted out of paper mail.

The decision notice is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you need help with something, you can call one of our English language customer service numbers.

When is flexible care allowance paid?

If you receive a decision on your application after the 10th day of the month, the allowance will not be paid until the last banking day of the following month. The decision shows the first payment date of the allowance.

Notify changes in your circumstances that are relevant to the flexible care allowance

When you notify Kela of the changes, your benefit is paid at the correct rate and you also do not lose out on any benefits you are entitled to.  Find out more about reporting changes.

Tell Kela if:

• your working hours change
• your contract of employment ends
• your insurance under the YEL or MYEL Act ends
• you move abroad
• you move to another municipality.

If you do not notify Kela, you may be paid benefits you are not entitled to. In that case, the benefit will be recovered from you later. Read more about the recovery of overpayments.

If your circumstances change, be sure to check how such changes could affect other benefits that you receive from Kela.

If you have in your family a child who is in the first or second year of school and you work 1–30 hours a week because of child care responsibilities, you can apply for partial care allowance.