Disability Allowance for persons aged 16 years or over

Disability Allowance for persons aged 16 years or over is aimed at making it easier for disabled persons to manage their everyday activities and to cope with their work and studies. The allowance can be awarded to persons over 16 years who have an illness or injury which will reduce their functional capacity for a period of at least one year.

A person is concerned to have a functional impairment when his or her ability to

  • look after him- or herself
  • perform necessary household chores or
  • cope with work or study demands

is weakened by illness or injury.

The purpose of the allowance is to compensate for the

  • hardship
  • need of assistance
  • need of guidance or supervision, and/or
  • costs

resulting from an illness or injury. Kela refers to the classification of impairment contained in the Employment Accidents Act.

The disability allowance is payable at three rates depending on the need of assistance, guidance and supervision as well as costs. Read more about the rates under Amount.

You may qualify for various special services as well as for an informal care allowance from the local authorities. Ask more from your own municipality.

Coordination with other benefits

You cannot get disability allowance if you are being paid

  • earnings-related or national old-age pension, individual early retirement pension, full disability pension or rehabilitation subsidy or a foreign benefit comparable to any of the above
  • a full disability pension on account of a traffic or other accident, or a compensation for loss earnings payable after one year has elapsed from a traffic accident
  • special assistance for immigrants.

When you go on old-age pension, early retirement pension, full disability pension or rehabilitation subsidy, you can apply for Care Allowance for Pensioners.

If you have lived abroad or are moving abroad

The disability allowance is usually only paid for persons living in Finland. If you have moved to Finland from abroad, you will not be eligible for the allowance until you have lived in Finland for 3 years. The allowance is usually paid abroad only if you live abroad temporarily (i.e. less than a year). In some cases the allowance is payable for persons living abroad even more than a year. Read more under Moving to or from Finland.

Updated 10/22/12