The basic rate of the disability allowance is
EUR 110.49 per month
Disability allowance for adults
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You can get disability allowance for adults (over age 16) if you have a chronic disability or illness that makes it more difficult for you to take care of yourself and to study or work. The purpose of the allowance is to make daily life easier for you and to support you in your work or studies.
Can you get disability allowance for adults?
You can get disability allowance for adults if
- you are at least 16
- you have a chronic illness or disability diagnosed by a doctor that limits your ability to function for a period of at least 12 months
- the illness or disability causes impairment or you need help or guidance because of them.
- you have additional expenses because of the illness or disability.
If you are fully retired, meaning that you get a disability pension or rehabilitation subsidy, you can apply for care allowance for pensioners from Kela.
The allowance can be granted for a specific period of time or until further notice. If the allowance is granted for a specific period of time, you can apply for continued payment of the allowance.
If you have moved to Finland from another country, disability allowance cannot be granted until you have lived in Finland for 3 years.
Disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over can usually not be granted just because a family member who lives in Finland has the right to benefits from Kela.
Exception to the residence requirement of 3 years
You do not have to have lived in Finland for 3 years if your situation is either one of the following:
- You received disability allowance for persons under 16 years of age until you reached the age of 16.
- The illness has started or the disability occurred while you lived in Finland, and the payment of the disability allowance starts before you reach the age of 19 years.
You may have the right to disability allowance from Finland also while living abroad, if you move abroad temporarily, i.e. for a maximum of six months.
In certain situations, you can get disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over also when you live permanently in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. The entitlement to the allowance depends on for instance your reason for moving abroad and the country to which you move.
Kela’s Centre for International Affairs provides further information on the situations in which you can get disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over.
The following questions can help you estimate whether you could qualify for disability allowance for adults. However, please note that each application will be reviewed individually.
In order to get disability allowance, you must have a long-term illness or disability that has been diagnosed by a doctor.
However, the diagnosis alone does not qualify you for disability allowance.
If your ability to function is reduced, you may find it difficult to take care of yourself, get around safely, clean your home or prepare meals. You may also find it challenging to study and do your job.
In order to be paid disability allowance, the illness or disability must already have limited your ability to function for a period of at least 12 months or be likely to do so in Kela’s estimation.
Note, however, that a reduction in your ability to function does not, alone, qualify you for disability allowance. We will also assess the degree of impairment caused by the illness or disability and how much help, guidance and supervision you need because of it.
If your ability to function is reduced over a longer period of time, your right to receive disability allowance will be assessed based on
- the degree of impairment caused by the illness or disability
- how much help and guidance you need in your daily life.
Kela assesses the impairment caused by the illness or disability on the basis of the classification of impairment defined in the Workers’ Compensation Act. You can be granted disability allowance on the basis of impairment if the impairment is considered significant enough.
Kela assesses your need for help or guidance on the basis of your application. You can be paid disability allowance if you need help or guidance from another person e.g with the following activities:
- getting around, dressing or washing
- eating or remembering to eat or drink
- seeing, hearing, speaking or keeping track of things
- dealing with a health condition or taking medicine.
The help or guidance you need could for example be reminding you of things, giving you encouragement or keeping an eye on you.
The illness or disability may also have caused you additional expense e.g. in the form of money spent on support housing or therapy. You may need an assistive device or interpreter service in your daily life. However, using and needing assistive devices alone does not qualify you for disability allowance.
You cannot get disability allowance if you only need help with household chores or personal errands. However, persons who are blind, unable to move or prelingually deaf are always entitled to the highest rate of disability allowance.
How much is the disability allowance?
The disability allowance is payable at three different rates, depending on the degree of impairment as well as the need of help, guidance and supervision.
Kela determines the rate of the allowance based on the application you submit. You do not have to know beforehand what of rate of allowance to apply for.
You can get the basic rate of disability allowance if you meet both of the following requirements:
- your functional ability is reduced due to illness or disability continuously for at least a year
- your illness or disability causes significant impairment.
The basic rate can be paid for example to persons who
- due to illness or disability have difficulty in concentrating on activities that require continuous alertness,
- have diabetes requiring treatment with insulin and have developed secondary complications
- due to illness or disability need more time than normal for different everyday activities or the activities require assistive devices
- have difficulties in carrying out complicated tasks even though they can handle routine tasks independently.
The middle rate of disability allowance is available if you have a right to the basic rate and your illness or disability causes additional expenses on a continuing basis.
You can get the middle rate of disability allowance if
- your illness or disability causes significant impairment
- you need regular guidance and supervision or help with your daily activities.
The middle rate of disability allowance is available for example to persons who
- need weekly assistance in dressing/undressing, washing, moving or social interaction
- need guidance or reminders concerning the following of a daily rhythm, taking medication or other daily activities that follow a certain schedule.
If you only need guidance and assistance with household chores and personal errands, you cannot get disability allowance at the middle rate.
If you have a right to disability allowance at the basic rate and your illness or disability causes continuous additional expenses, you can get disability allowance at the middle rate instead of the basic rate. These additional expenses are referred to as special expenses. The special expenses you have each month must be at least the same amount as the middle rate of the disability allowance.
Special expenses include
- care fees for assisted living
- home care and home healthcare fees
- cleaning or shopping service fees
- transport fees for meal service
- visits to a doctor
- rehabilitation and treatment prescribed by a doctor
- medicines
- travel costs related to rehabilitation or treatment
You can get the highest rate of disability allowance if you
- are severely disabled
- need a lot of daily help or guidance and supervision in your everyday activities, such as dressing/undressing, washing, moving, social interaction
- are blind, unable to move or prelingually deaf
The highest rate of disability allowance cannot be granted on the basis of special expenses.
How other income and benefits affect the disability allowance
Your income and assets do not affect the amount of the disability allowance.
If you receive care allowance or supplementary handicap or dependency benefit under the employment accident and motor insurance laws on the basis of the same illness or disability, that benefit is deducted from the disability allowance.
If you receive a corresponding benefit from abroad on the basis of the same illness or disability, that benefit also will be deducted from the disability allowance.
The disability allowance is tax-free income.
Payment date
If banks are closed on the scheduled payment date, the allowance is paid on the nearest preceding banking day.
If you are under 18 years old, the disability allowance is paid into the bank account indicated by your guardian.
How to apply for disability allowance for adults (over age 16)
Apply for disability allowance for adults (over age 16) on the form Care allowance for pensioners/Disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over (EV 256e, PDF). Use the same form if you want to apply for continued payment of the allowance or an increased allowance.
To make sure that the form functions properly, you need to use the latest version of Adobe Reader. It is available as a free download on the Adobe website (get.adobe.com). Read our instructions for technical problems.
- 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.
- Open the form with Adobe Reader and fill it in.
- After you have filled in the form, save it in PDF format. You do not have to sign the form.
- Send your application in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) under Tee hakemus tai ilmoita muutoksista (Submit an application or report changes).
- Send supporting documents in OmaKela by selecting Lähetä liite (Send a supporting document). Take photographs of the documents you are sending if they are not in a digital format. Necessary documentation:
- A medical statement BC issued within the past 6 months. Alternatively, you can also enclose some other medical statement, such as a medical certificate B or a copy of your medical history, if they contain the following information needed to decide the application: information about the customer’s illnesses and current health and functional status.
Go to OmaKela to see if Kela has made a decision on your application. You will also see how much you will get and when it will be paid. If supporting documents are missing from your application, you will get a reminder about that in OmaKela.
In OmaKela, you can also give consent for Kela to send you messages. This will help make your application process and other contacts with Kela quicker.
If you cannot use OmaKela, mail your application to Kela. 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.
If you cannot apply for disability allowance for adults in OmaKela or on a paper form, you can do so verbally. Call Kela’s customer service number 020 634 2650 or visit a Kela service point.
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.
Apply for an disability allowance for adults
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
How to apply for disability allowance on behalf of another person
You can also apply for disability allowance in OmaKela on behalf of a child or another adult. Log in to OmaKela using your online banking credentials or mobile ID. Select Asioi toisen henkilön puolesta (Act on behalf of another person). In OmaKela, you can check when the other person's benefit will be paid and how much they will get. You can also send messages and supporting documents on their behalf.
Acting on behalf of another adult always requires authorisation. You do not usually need separate authorisation to act on behalf of a child, as Kela gets the information it needs directly from the Finnish Population Information System.
Read more about acting on behalf of another person.
Death estates cannot apply for disability allowance.
The bank account number of a person aged over 18 years cannot be changed or notified with only a notification. With the form Notification - Change of account number (Y 121e, PDF) you must enclose a bank statement, a certificate from the bank or other reliable documentation proving that the customer is the account holder.
Only an official guardian or person with continuing power of attorney can file a notification of the bank account number without further documentation. This requires that Kela has received a copy of the authorisation. A power of attorney to manage Kela-related affairs or a Suomi.fi mandate is not enough.
Things to remember when applying for disability allowance
Kela can grant the allowance retrospectively for a maximum of 6 months. Retroactive payment is always considered from case to case.
If you do not submit a medical statement with your application, we will set a deadline for you to provide the required documents or information. If you cannot provide them by the deadline, you can call Kela to ask for an extension.
If you do not provide the document or information we have requested, we will have to turn down your application. We will review your application once you have provided the requested document or information.
File an application for continued payment with Kela well in advance of the end of the payment period so that payment of the allowance is not interrupted. Applications for the extended payment of the care allowance for pensioners should be filed within 6 months of the end of the previous payment period.
In most cases, you will need to include a new medical statement when applying for a higher rate of allowance. However, a new statement is not needed if you apply for a higher rate of allowance solely because of special expenses. In the Additional information section of the application, indicate that you are applying for a higher rate of allowance because of the expenses.
Report changes that affect the disability allowance for adults (over age 16)
Tell Kela as soon as possible if your situation changes. The changes may affect your right to the benefit or the benefit amount, and in such cases the benefit amount paid to you may be too large or too small.
Be sure to tell Kela if
- there are significant changes in your health or functional ability
- your need of assistance has increased or decreased significantly
- the special expenses have decreased or increased significantly
- you are granted a supplementary handicap or dependency benefit or equivalent compensation from some other payer than Kela
- you move abroad for a longish period of time.
You can report the changes in the OmaKela e-service, by post or by calling us.
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 overpaid benefits.
What else is going on in your life?
Do you need support to maintain your work ability?
Kela provides access to various types of rehabilitation. Talk to your doctor about whether rehabilitation could be helpful in your situation.
Do you have to take time off work?
You can get sickness allowance if you cannot work because of an illness or disability.
Do you need help with your housing costs?
Housing allowance can compensate for reduced income and help with housing costs.
Consider getting an EU Disability Card
You can use the EU Disability Card to show that you have a disability or long-term illness or that you need an assistant. The card can be used for example in public transport or when attending cultural and sports events.
Do you need interpreter assistance because of a disability?
If you have a hearing impairment, combined vision and hearing impairment or speech impairment, Kela can provide interpreter services to assist you in your daily life.
Are you short of money?
If you have a very low income dispite receiving other benefits from Kela, find out if you are eligible for social assistance.
Current topics
Age limits for disability benefits will change on 1 January 2027
The upper age limit for disability allowance for children will be raised to 18 years from the beginning of 2027. At the same time, the minimum age limit for disability allowance for adults and care allowance for pensioners will be increased to 18 years. Kela will provide more detailed information about the changes and their effects during the autumn.