Conscript’s allowance
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Conscript’s allowance is a benefit paid by Kela to persons in military or non-military service and to their family members.
In addition to the conscript’s allowance, you will get a daily allowance paid by the Defence Forces, the Centre for Non-Military Service (Siviilipalvelukeskus) or the place of service where you are performing your non-military service.
- Read more on the website of the Defence Forces (intti.fi)
- Read more on the website of the Centre for Non-Military Service
Military service includes both armed and unarmed military service.
Family member here refers to
- the married spouse of a person in military or non-military service
- the cohabiting partner of a person in military or non-military service, if they have a child together
- a child whose guardian is in military or non-military service
Can I get conscript’s allowance?
You can get conscript’s allowance if you are
- in compulsory military service
- in compulsory non-military service
- in voluntary military service for women
- a family member of someone in military or non-military service
- a person undergoing refresher training for reservists or supplementary service, or the family member of such a person.
Conscript's allowance can also be paid to persons coming from outside Finland to perform military or non-military service and to their family members. Read more about the housing costs of a person coming from outside Finland to perform military or non-military service.
What is conscript’s allowance?
Conscript’s allowance includes many different benefits, all of which can be applied for on the same application. Some can only be paid to family members of persons in military or non-military service.
Persons in military or non-military service can get the following types of conscript’s allowance:
- housing assistance
- assistance towards interest payments on student loans
Family members can get the following types of conscript’s allowance:
- housing assistance
- basic assistance
- maintenance assistance
- special assistance
- assistance towards interest payments on student loans
You can get housing assistance for conscripts for an apartment rented on a permanent basis, for a right-of-occupancy home, for an owner-occupied home or for a partial-ownership home.
If you are in military or non-military service, Kela can provide conscript’s allowance towards the interest payments on your student loans.
You can get conscript’s allowance for interest payments that are due during your service or during the last calendar month of service.
Kela can pay the partner of a person in military or non-military service special assistance towards interest payments on student loans. Your partner can get special assistance if they are
- your married spouse
- your cohabiting partner with whom you have a child.
If you are applying for assistance with interest payments on a student loan, apply during the month in which the interest is due. This will help you avoid penalty interest for late payment, which the conscript’s allowance does not cover. For example, if the interest is due in January, apply for assistance by the end of January.
However, make sure you apply for assistance with the interest payments due in the first half of the year (January to June) by 31 August at the latest and for interest payments due in the second half of the year (July to December) no later than 28 February (or 29 February if it is a leap year).
File a separate application for each interest payment that falls due.
How to apply for assistance towards interest payments on student loans.
A family member of someone in military or non-military service can get basic assistance for daily expenses that they cannot meet otherwise. Such expenses include:
- food
- personal care items
- clothes
- minor medical expenses, such as over-the-counter medication
- phone, internet and newspaper subscription
- insurance premiums
- reasonable commuting costs of up to EUR 900 per year
- costs of recreational activities and hobbies.
Who can get basic assistance?
Kela can pay basic assistance to family members of persons in military or non-military service (linkki). Basic assistance is not paid to the person in military or non-military service.
Basic assistance can be granted to
- a married spouse of a person in military or non-military service
- a cohabiting partner with whom the person in military or non-military service has a child
- a child whose guardian is in military or non-military service.
Who cannot get basic assistance?
Kela cannot grant basic assistance if
- the unmarried cohabiting couple do not have any children together
- the spouse of the person in military or non-military service has moved out of the shared home because the relationship has ended.
- the child is entitled to maintenance assistance.
Special assistance is not paid to the person in military or non-military service.
How much is the basic assistance?
In 2026, the full amount of the basic assistance is EUR 787.07 per month.
The amount of the basic assistance changes according to the amount of the national pension
The amount of the basic assistance depends on
- the family’s income after taxes
- the number of family members, i.e. partner and children, who get the assistance:
- If you have one family member, they get the full amount of basic assistance. If you have two family members, the second family member gets 50% of the full amount of basic assistance. Third and subsequent family members each get 30% of the full amount of basic assistance.
Kela may grant special assistance towards necessary and reasonable expenses that you have paid for yourself. Special assistance may only be granted for expenses that are not covered by the basic assistance and for which you have not been granted any other compensation.
Expenses you can get special assistance for include
- other than minor health care expenses (e.g. prescribed drugs, healthcare centre fees, outpatient clinic charges, dental expenses in public healthcare, and the cost of eye examinations and the purchase of eyeglasses)
- child care expenses (including but not limited to prams, pushchairs, beds, child safety seats, carry-cots and bases for carry-cots, all at the average price level) and day care expenses
- the interest on a student loan taken out by your partner
- moving costs
- burial costs
- commuting costs exceeding EUR 900 per year.
Kela cannot grant special assistance for the following:
- furniture, household appliances or similar purchases related to the establishment of a home
- cost of repairing household appliances
- child care costs, if the child is born after the month in which military or non-military service ends.
Kela grants special assistance only for reasonable costs that you pay yourself and that fall due for payment during the military or non-military service or during the month in which the service ends. That is why it is important to remember to apply for special assistance during the month in which you made a purchase or a bill is due.
Who can get special assistance?
Kela can pay special assistance to family members of persons in military or non-military service. Special assistance is not paid to the person in military or non-military service.
Special assistance can be granted to
- a married spouse of a person in military or non-military service
- a cohabiting partner with whom the person in military or non-military service has a child
- a child whose guardian is in military or non-military service.
Who cannot get special assistance?
Special assistance is not paid to the person in military or non-military service.
Unmarried cohabiting partners are not paid special assistance unless they have a child together with the person in military or non-military service.
Married spouses cannot get special assistance if they have moved out of the home they have shared with their spouse because the relationship has ended.
If a person in military or non-military service is unable to pay child support during the period of service, Kela can pay maintenance assistance to the child.
Maintenance assistance can be granted only if the person in military or non-military service is liable for monthly child support payments to the child. This liability must have been established in
- a court decision
- a written agreement confirmed by a child welfare officer.
The maintenance assistance paid by Kela is equal to the established amount of child support. Only the income of the person in military or non-military service affects the amount of the maintenance assistance.
How much is the conscript’s allowance?
Your income and expenses determine whether you can get conscript’s allowance and how much your conscript’s allowance will be. If you have any income during your time in military or non-military service, the amount of your conscript's allowance is reduced by the equivalent of your net income. Your net income is your income after tax has been deducted.
There is, however, an exempt amount of EUR 300 on wage and salary income and income from self-employment. That means that you can earn EUR 300 per month during your service without it affecting your conscript’s allowance.
You do not pay any tax on your conscript's allowance.
How do income and benefits affect conscript's allowance?
All income you have during your military or non-military service affects your conscript’s allowance. Your partner’s income also affects the conscript's allowance if they are entitled to the benefit.
The income is taken into account at its net amount, that is to say after taxes have been deducted from it. The amount of conscript’s allowance will decrease by the amount of income after taxes.
Benefits you get during your service may also affect your conscript’s allowance. If your partner has the right to conscript’s allowance, any benefits paid to your partner will also be taken into account in the conscript’s allowance.
- wages and salaries (including fringe benefits), minus taxes and contributions to earnings-related pension insurance and unemployment insurance
- income under the self-employed persons’ pension insurance scheme (YEL income)
- income under the self-employed farmers’ pension insurance scheme (MYEL income)
- other types of net income than those listed below.
- daily allowance for persons in military or non-military service (intti.fi)
- parental allowance for persons in military or non-military service
- compensation for expenses that is paid for participating in employment-promoting services
- child benefit
- assets
- capital income
- social assistance
- disability allowances
- tax refunds
- tax-exempt kilometre allowances and daily allowances
- general housing allowance, the housing supplement for students and the housing allowance for pensioners (however, these benefits will be deducted from your housing costs, and Kela will pay housing assistance only for costs that exceed the deduction)
- maintenance allowance that is paid during rehabilitation
- maternity grant
Exempt amount
When calculating the conscript’s allowance, an exempt amount of EUR 300 is applied to wage and salary income and income from self-employment. That means that you can earn EUR 300 per month during your service without it affecting your conscript’s allowance.
The exemption is only applied to the income of the person in military or non-military service. Any income their partner has affects the amount of conscript’s allowance in full.
How to apply for conscript's allowance
Apply for conscript's allowance about one month before you are scheduled to enter military or non-military service. Conscript’s allowance cannot be paid retroactively.
- Apply for conscript’s allowance in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish.
- Maintenance assistance can be applied for only on the application form for conscript’s allowance, Sotilasavustus SA1 (PDF). You can send the form in OmaKela.
- Submit supporting documents in OmaKela. Take photographs of the documents you are sending if they are not in a digital format.
If you have already sent the necessary supporting documents earlier when applying for another benefit (such as general housing allowance or social assistance), you need not send the same documents again.
Keep all receipts and documented proof related to the application. If we need them, we may ask for them later.
Housing assistance
If you live in rented housing, send a copy of the rental agreement to Kela as a supporting document. However, you do not need to send a copy of the rental agreement if Kela receives information on your rental agreement electronically from your landlord. See the list of landlords that provide information on rental agreements to Kela electronically.
If you live in a right-of-occupancy home, send a copy of your right-of-occupancy contract.
If you live in an owner-occupied home in a housing cooperative, send a copy of itemised maintenance charges.
Maintenance assistance
If you are applying for maintenance assistance, send one of the following with your application:
- a copy of the court decision
- a copy of the written agreement confirmed by a child welfare officer.
Apply for conscript’s allowance
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
Visit the OmaKela e-service to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefit will be paid. You will also see possible reminders concerning, for instance, any documents missing from your application.
Do as follows if you cannot use OmaKela:
- Apply for housing allowance on the form Conscript’s allowance SA 1e (PDF).
- Save the blank form to your device. Do not fill in the form directly in the browser because some of the information may not be saved that way.
- Fill in the form and print it out. Remember to sign the form.
- Send the form together with any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Things to remember when applying for conscript's allowance
- Housing assistance: the person in military or non-military service or their partner.
- If the person in military or non-military service is married or has a cohabiting partner with whom they have a child together, the partner should apply for the full amount of housing assistance. In such case, the person in military or non-military service cannot themselves apply for assistance.
- Interest payments on student loans: the person in military or non-military service or their partner. If the person in military or non-military service has a partner who is entitled to housing assistance, each should submit a separate application.
- Basic assistance and special assistance: the partner of the person in military or non-military service. The person in military or non-military service cannot get basic assistance or special assistance or apply for these benefits on their partner’s behalf.
- Maintenance assistance: the guardian of the child. The guardian can be the person in military or non-military service or another guardian of the child.
You can submit an application approximately one month before entering military or non-military service. You cannot apply for conscript’s allowance retroactively. The earliest we can grant conscript’s allowance is the beginning of the month in which your application arrived.
If you are applying for special assistance, you must apply for it during the month in which you made a purchase.
The application period for assistance with student loan interest is more flexible
If you are applying for assistance with interest payments on a student loan, apply during the month in which the interest is due. This will help you avoid penalty interest for late payment, which the conscript’s allowance does not cover. For example, if the interest on your student loan is due in January, apply for assistance with the interest by the end of January. However, make sure you apply for assistance with the interest payments due in the first half of the year (January to June) by 31 August at the latest and for interest payments due in the second half of the year (July to December) no later than 28 February (or 29 February if it is a leap year).
File a separate application for each interest payment that falls due. Learn more about conscript’s allowance for student loan interest payments.
Kela grants conscript's allowance starting from the date when you enter military or non-military service. Conscript’s allowance cannot be granted retroactively. The earliest you can get conscript's allowance is from the beginning of the month in which Kela receives your application. Kela pays conscript’s allowance until the end of the month in which you finish your service or the service is interrupted for at least 14 days. If you complete your service for instance on 20 June, conscript’s allowance will be paid to the end of June.
If your situation changes and you become eligible for conscript’s allowance during your service, you can apply for it from Kela. Even then, it cannot be granted retroactively. The earliest Kela can grant conscript's allowance is from the beginning of the month in which Kela receives your application.
Kela can pay the full amount of conscript's allowance as a lump sum after the end of training if you are in refresher training for reservists or in supplementary training, or you are the partner of a person who is and you are entitled to their conscript’s allowance.
Kela reports conscript's allowance payments to the Incomes Register within five days of the date of payment.
If you are in military or non-military service and you want to be reimbursed, for example, for an electricity bill after you have already filed your application, you can notify us about the bill in the OmaKela e-service. Go to Tee hakemus tai ilmoita muutoksista (Submit an application or report changes) in OmaKela. Select Asevelvollisuus (Military and non-military service) and then Sotilasavustus (Conscript’s allowance) – ilmoita menoista (Notify Kela of expenses).
If you are the partner of a person in military or non-military service and you want to be reimbursed for a bill after an application has already been filed, you must file a new application in OmaKela. Go to Tee hakemus tai ilmoita muutoksista (Submit an application or report changes) in OmaKela. Select Asevelvollisuus (Military and non-military service) and then Sotilasavustus (Conscript’s allowance).
You must provide information on all your income during your time in service on your application for conscript’s allowance. Kela also receives information on wages and salaries from the Incomes Register, and makes use of this information in processing claims and applications. We will contact you if we need additional information. Please note that you must tell Kela if there are any changes in your income during your time in service.
If you are enrolled in vocational education until the end of May and start your military or non-military service in the summer, you can apply for general housing allowance for your housing costs for June. Apply for conscript’s allowance starting from the beginning of your service.
If you are enrolled in higher education and start your military or non-military service in the summer, you can apply for conscript’s allowance starting from the beginning of your service. You cannot get general housing allowance for June, but you can apply for study grant and student housing supplement if you are still actively studying in June.
If your military or non-military service ends during the summer and you begin a new course of study or continue your studies at an institution of higher education in the autumn term, you can apply for general housing allowance for July and August. You can apply to be paid student financial aid, which includes the study grant and the housing supplement for students, from September onwards. However, if you study actively in August, you can apply to be paid student financial aid from August onwards. If you do so, you cannot get general housing allowance in August as student financial aid includes the housing supplement for students and you cannot be paid both the general housing allowance and the student housing supplement at the same time.
If your military or non-military service ends during the summer and you begin studies at a vocational school in August, you can apply to be paid general housing allowance in July. You can apply to be paid student financial aid, which includes the study grant and the housing supplement for students, from August onwards.
When is conscript’s allowance paid out?
Kela pays the basic assistance, housing assistance and maintenance assistance on the first banking day of the month.
Assistance towards interest on student loans and special assistance can be paid out on any banking day.
Amounts less than EUR 5.04 are not paid at all.
Report changes that affect the conscript’s allowance
Notify Kela immediately of any changes in your circumstances that may affect the amount of your conscript’s allowance or your entitlement to the allowance. Tell Kela if, for example:
- your service is interrupted or your service ends
- there are changes in your income or the income of your partner who is entitled to conscript's allowance, for instance if you start work
- you move to a new home
- you move in with your partner or a roommate or you leave a shared household.
Kela will review your conscript's allowance if there are changes in your circumstances or in the circumstances of your partner who is entitled to conscript’s allowance. If the review leads to an adjustment of your allowance, the adjustment will take effect immediately from the date when the change in circumstances occurred. For instance, if you start work or your child is born on 16 May, your allowance will be adjusted starting from that date.
Your conscript's allowance will not be adjusted if the change in your income consists of a one-time payment or of income earned entirely before your military or non-military service started.
When you report the changes, the benefit is paid at the correct rate and you also do not lose any benefit due to you. You can notify Kela of any changes in the OmaKela e-service, by phone or by visiting a service point.
If you do not report changes, 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.
What else is going on in your life?
Do you receive general housing allowance?
Your general housing allowance will not be discontinued because you enter military or non-military service. In addition to the general housing allowance, you can receive housing assistance for conscripts. However, you must apply for a review of your housing allowance.
Do you receive student financial aid or housing supplement for students?
You cannot get student financial aid or housing supplement for students while in service. If you get student financial aid, you must tell Kela that you are starting your service.
Starting or ending a relationship
Have your benefits reviewed if you move in with your partner, get married or separate.
When money is tight
If you cannot afford necessary living expenses such as food, you can apply for social assistance from Kela.
Current topics
Is your military service coming to an end?
Remember to get your Kela-related matters sorted out.