Kela is conducting a survey to find out how customers combine work, income and Kela benefits. The results of the survey will be used to develop Kela’s services and how they can be accessed. Members of Kela’s Customer Community can answer the survey until 13 September 2026.

Kela asks for customers’ experiences on how income and benefits fit together

You can now grant a Suomi.fi mandate in person at Kela’s service points in Kuopio and Lahti if you do not have online banking credentials or a Mobile ID. With a Suomi.fi mandate, a trusted person can act on your behalf for example at pharmacies and in the e-services of social welfare, healthcare and tax authorities. The pilot study on assisted authorisation will run until the end of August 2026.

Kela piloting assisted authorisation with Suomi.fi mandates – give someone else permission to act on your behalf in OmaKela and MyKanta

Kela pays unemployment benefits in two instalments in May. The first instalment consists of labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance granted until the end of April.  The second instalment consists of general social security benefit granted as of the beginning of May. There is no need for customers to worry even if there is a delay of a few days before their general social security benefit payments show up in OmaKela.  

Reminder from Kela that unemployment benefits are paid in two instalments in May  

More than 80% of Kela's letters are currently delivered electronically only. Already 95% of customers receive notifications of mail received in the OmaKela e-service as Suomi.fi Messages. It is important for customers to check their Suomi.fi Messages so that they do not miss new decision notices or letters. Customers who do not use OmaKela or who have selected the option to get paper mail from Kela still get decision notices and letters in paper form in the post.

More than 80% of Kela's letters are delivered electronically – remember to check your Suomi.fi Messages

There are changes to the opening hours of many Kela service points during the summer. Some service points will be closed, while others will operate by appointment only. Before visiting a service point, be sure to check its opening hours. As throughout the rest of the year, you can handle your Kela-related matters conveniently in the summer by using the OmaKela e-service or calling Kela.

Changes in the opening hours of Kela service points during the summer

As of mid-April, public authorities have shifted to using Suomi.fi Messages as the primary means of delivering official mail. Kela will continue to use the OmaKela e-service as the main channel for decision notices and letters, and customers will get a notification when they have a new decision notice or letter available in OmaKela. Customers who do not use OmaKela will continue to get paper copies of decision notices and letters by mail.

Official mail from Finnish authorities now primarily digital – OmaKela remains main channel for mail from Kela

Kela monitors the study progress of students in upper secondary education and higher education on a yearly basis. Students are required to make satisfactory progress with their studies in order to get financial aid for students and housing supplement from Kela.

Kela asks approximately 25,000 students to explain lack of progress in their studies – some may lose their student financial aid and housing supplement

Persons who do not have a valid residence permit no longer qualify for residence-based Kela benefits starting from 1 April 2026. The right to residence-based benefits ends immediately when a negative decision is issued on a residence permit even if the decision is appealed.

Persons without a valid residence permit no longer qualify for residence-based Kela benefits as of 1 April 2026

Kela pays partial care allowance to parents of children in the 1st or 2nd year of school if they have agreed on reduced working hours with their employer because they need to take care of their child. In some cases, Kela may pay partial care allowance also to parents of children in preschool or in the 3rd year of school.

You can now apply for partial care allowance for autumn 2026

Thousands of students exceeded their income limit for student financial aid in 2025. These students have until the end of April to pay back financial aid they received in 2025 if they want to avoid the recovery process that will add a 7.5% increase to the amount they owe Kela.

Approximately 34,500 students exceeded their annual income limit last year – pay back student financial aid by the end of April to avoid recovery

Kela has issued an invitation to tender for the products included in the edition of the maternity package that will go into distribution in 2028. Sustainability, durability and quality are emphasised in the tender process. Customer feedback has also played a role in the development of the maternity package.

Procurement process for the 2028 edition of the maternity package has begun

The maternity package now contains more products than before because the value of the maternity grant increased this year. Kela has started to distribute the package to customers.

Distribution of the latest edition of the maternity package begins – more products now included

The maximum limits that Kela applies to housing costs when calculating social assistance will change in 2027 in more municipalities than before. This change may affect our customers in different ways depending on the municipality they live in and their family size and housing costs. Kela will keep customers updated on the upcoming changes to make sure they have enough time to check how the change will affect them and prepare before next year.

Maximum limits for housing costs in social assistance changing in 2027 – limits may now also decrease due to change in law

Parents who receive private day care allowance payments must notify Kela of any changes in their child care arrangements during the summer or early autumn. Such changes may be relevant to the payment of the allowance. The notification can be made conveniently in the OmaKela e-service.

Do you get private day care allowance? Notify Kela of changes in the care arrangements for the summer

Students can take out student loan funds for the coming autumn term starting from the beginning of August. The student loan also affects the student’s eligibility for social assistance.

Student loan funds for the coming academic year can be taken out already in August

It currently takes longer than usual for customers to get their first decision on general social security benefit from Kela. The reasons for the longer processing times include increased unemployment, graduating students and applicants whose periods of earnings-related unemployment allowance are ending. Kela expects to resolve the situation within the next few weeks.

Processing times for applications for general social security benefit are longer than usual

The pilot study Kela is currently conducting on assisted Suomi.fi authorisation is set to continue at Kela service points in Lahti and Kuopio. With the help of assisted authorisation, customers who do not have online banking credentials or a Mobile Certificate can grant Suomi.fi mandates to a trusted person. Kela is preparing to expand the pilot study to more service points next year.

Pilot study on assisted Suomi.fi authorisation continues in Kuopio and Lahti – Kela preparing expansion to more service points

Social assistance is a last-resort form of financial aid, which is affected by all the income and assets available to the applicants and their families, including tax refunds. Most customers will receive their tax refund in August or September.

Tax refunds affect social assistance

The Act on General Social Security Benefit entered into force on 1 May 2026.  Over 240,000 unemployed persons on labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance will be transferred under the general social security benefit in May.

New Kela benefit for the unemployed: general social security benefit

Kela will begin to pay a new general social security benefit for the unemployed on 1 May 2026. The new benefit will replace the existing Kela-paid unemployment benefits, which are labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance. The general social security benefit is a means-tested benefit, which means that means testing will now be applied more widely to unemployment benefit recipients. Customers who have capital income, for example, may get a smaller amount of unemployment benefits than before.

General social security benefit for the unemployed introduced on 1 May – means testing to apply more widely than before 

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<p>When you visit a service point, bring proof of identity, such as your passport or driver’s licence. If you are acting on behalf of another person, you need <a href="https://www.kela.fi/authorising-another-person"> a specific power of attorney</a> from that person and proof of your identity.</p><p>If you bring your online banking credentials or a mobile certificate, you can manage your Kela-related affairs on a self-service computer at the service point.</p><p>You are permitted to bring a guide dog, an assistance dog or a government working dog to a service point.</p>

Customer service points where service is provided by Kela’s employees. You can get personal advice in all Kela-related matters.

You can also go to a joint service point or a remote service point. You can get general guidance and submit applications at joint service points. At remote service points, you can communicate with a Kela specialist via a video connection.

<p>When you visit a Kela customer service point, bring proof of identity, such as your passport or driver’s licence. If you are acting on behalf of another person, you need  <a href="https://www.kela.fi/authorising-another-person">a specific power of attorney</a> from that person and proof of your identity.</p><p>If you bring your online banking credentials or a mobile certificate, you can manage your Kela-related affairs on a self-service computer at the customer service point. </p><p>You are permitted to bring a guide dog, an assistance dog or a government working dog to a customer service point.</p>

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