The basic amount of the orphan’s pension is
EUR 71.56 per month
Orphan’s pension
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The purpose of the orphan’s pension is to provide financial support after the death of a parent or other guardian (such as a foster parent). The orphan’s pension is a survivor’s pension available from both Kela and the authorised pension providers. You can get an orphan’s pension from both at the same time.
Can I get an orphan’s pension?
- Kela can pay the basic amount and the additional amount of the orphan's pension to young persons under 18.
- If the young person is studying, Kela continues to pay the basic amount until the person reaches the age of 21 years. This is also called an orphan's pension for students.
‘Orphan’ refers to the deceased person’s
- own child
- adopted child
- dependent child who lived in the same household as the deceased, who was responsible for the child’s maintenance.
See also: Survivors' pensions from other payers than Kela.
If the late guardian lived or worked abroad, the child may have a right to survivor’s pension also from countries other than Finland.
If Kela pays you orphan’s pension and you move abroad, the continued payment of the pension depends on where you move and how long you will stay. Read more about the payment of pensions to recipients outside Finland.
File your application for orphan’s pension with the pension provider in your country of residence. The pension provider will send your application to both Kela and the deceased person’s authorised pension provider in Finland. For further instructions on the application process, contact the pension provider in your country of residence.
How much is the orphan’s pension?
If you have lost both parents, Kela will pay you the basic amount double, or about EUR 143 per month. In addition to the basic amount you can also receive an additional amount if you are aged under 18 years.
The additional amount is affected by your other survivors' pensions.
- If the total amount before taxes of any survivors' and assistance pensions that you may receive from other payers than Kela is EUR 66.54 per month or less, you get the full additional amount, i.e. EUR 108.24 per month.
- If your other survivors' pensions exceed EUR 66.54 per month, the additional amount is reduced by half of the amount above EUR 66.54.
- If your other pensions exceed EUR 282.96 per month, you cannot get the additional amount.
You must pay tax on the orphan’s pension.
If your late parent lived or worked in an EU or EEA country, in Switzerland or in Great Britain, both the basic amount and the additional amount may be reduced.
As a rule, Kela pays the orphan's pension to a minor child's parent or other legal guardian. If you have reached the age of 18 years and you are studying, the orphan's pension is paid into your bank account. The legal guardian can request that the orphan's pensions of younger children also be paid into the children's own bank accounts.
The payment date is determined by your last initial:
- A–K: 4th of the month
- L–R: 14th of the month
- S–Ö: 24th of the month
If banks are closed on the scheduled payment date, the pension is paid on the nearest preceding banking day. Kela notifies the Incomes Register of the amount of pension paid to you within five days of the date of payment.
If you receive a disability pension from Kela or a comparable pension from abroad, you cannot get an orphan's pension.
How to apply for an orphan’s pension
Apply for an orphan’s pension for a child under 18 years of age on the application form for Orphan’s pension ETK/Kela 7005e (PDF).
- The child’s guardian may apply for a pension on behalf of their underage child. If applying for more than one child, use a separate form for each child.
- Children aged 15-17 years can apply for orphan’s pension in OmaKela themselves if they have access to a strong authentication method, such as online banking credentials or a mobile certificate.
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).
- 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). If you are the guardian of a child and are applying for pension on the child’s behalf, first go to Asioi toisen henkilön puolesta (Act on behalf of another person). Select 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.
Apply for an orphan’s pension for a child under 18 years of age
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
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.
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.
You can apply for an orphan’s pension also from the late guardian’s authorised pension provider.
Go to the e-service of the pension provider (elakepalvelut.fi).
- You will need your online banking codes to sign in.
- In the pension provider’s e-service, you can the same time also apply for an orphan's pension from Kela.
Apply for an orphan’s pension for a child who is 18 years of age or older on the application form for Orphan’s pension for students aged 18–20 E 292e (PDF).
- Note that students under 20 years of age can apply for an orphan's pension from both the authorised pension provider and Kela at the same time with one form: Orphan’s pension ETK/Kela 7005e (PDF).
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).
- 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.
Apply for an orphan’s pension for a child who is 18 years of age or older
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
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.
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.
You can apply for an orphan’s pension also from the late guardian’s authorised pension provider.
Go to the e-service of the pension provider (elakepalvelut.fi).
- You will need your online banking codes to sign in.
- In the pension provider’s e-service, you can the same time also apply for an orphan's pension from Kela.
Orphan's pension can be applied for from the beginning of the month following the death of a parent. The orphan’s pension is available retrospectively for a maximum of 6 months from the application date.
If your late parent lived, studied or worked abroad
If your parent once worked, studied or lived abroad, it will take longer to process your pension application. Kela must verify all the periods in which your parent lived or worked in another country.
If there is a long wait to receive a pension decision from another EU or EEA country or from Switzerland or Great Britain, you can get a temporary decision on a Kela pension.
Report changes that affect the orphan's pension
Remember to report to Kela any changes that affect your pension. Orphans’ pensions can be affected changes in your income, among other things.
If you are paid an orphan's pension, you must notify Kela of the following types of changes:
- if you begin to receive another pension, compensation or survivors' pension from Finland or from abroad or if the amount of these changes
- if you move abroad or stay abroad for more than 3 months.
Report the changes in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish). You can also contact Kela by phone or fill in and mail the form and its supporting documents to Kela. Kela mailing address is Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
When you report the changes, the benefit is paid at the correct rate and you also do not lose any benefit due to you. Read more about reporting changes.
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.
Other help available from Kela
Do you need assistance with your housing costs?
Housing allowance can compensate for a reduced income and help with your housing costs.
Kela benefits for young people
Kela benefits help you cope financially as you set out to live on your own or otherwise become independent.
How are Kela benefits affected by a death in the family?
The death of a child, a spouse or a partner can affect the benefits you get from Kela. We are sincerely sorry for your loss.
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.
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