Income support consists of three parts:
- Basic income support: covers basic expenses such as food, clothing, minor medical expenses, use of public transport and reasonable expenses for entertainment or leisure. You can apply for it at Kela.
- Supplementary income support: covers special needs that are not covered by basic income, such as children’s hobbies or moving expenses. This is usually applied for at the municipal or city social welfare office.
- Preventive income support: you can apply if your financial situation suddenly and significantly deteriorates, putting your and your family’s social security and independence at risk.
Who is eligible for income support?
- All other income and benefits (e.g. unemployment benefit, housing benefit, pensions) are not enough to cover the necessary expenses.
- Your assets are not enough to cover all your expenses.
How to apply for income support?
- Basic income support is primarily applied for from Kela online or on a paper form.
- Supplementary and preventive support is applied for in your municipality of residence.
Other subsidies for income security
In Finland, you can receive a number of different benefits and allowances in addition to income support. The most common are unemployment benefits, housing benefit and family allowances.
More information on unemployment benefits on the Freeo website Read about Kela's housing allowance Read about Kela benefits for families with children