You can get housing allowance if you live in a right-of-occupancy home located in Finland. Housing allowance can be paid for the following housing costs:
- maintenance charge
- water and heating charges which are paid separately
- 73 per cent of the interest on your housing loan, up until 31 December 2024.
Water
Water charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent. Up to 20 euros per person and per month is accepted.
Heating
Heating charges are accepted as housing costs if you pay them separately and on top of the rent.
For 1-person households the amount of heating charges accepted is EUR 66 per month. If the household consists of more than one person, EUR 22 per month is added for each additional person.
In certain regions, a higher amount of heating costs is accepted:
- In Etelä-Savo, Pohjois-Savo and Pohjois-Karjala up to EUR 69 per month is accepted as heating charges for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
- In Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Kainuu and Lapland up to EUR 71 per month is accepted as heating costs for a 1-person household. EUR 24 per month is added for each additional person.
Interest on a housing loan
If you have a housing loan, 73 per cent of the monthly interest is accepted as housing costs until 31 December 2024. If you are granted housing allowance after that date, the interest on your housing loan is not accepted as housing costs.
If the payment of your housing allowance has started before 1 January 2025, your allowance may be adjusted if your household applies for a review of the housing allowance as of 1 January 2025 or a later date.
Personal loans taken out to purchase a right of occupancy are taken into account as housing costs. When it comes to housing loans, only the part of the interest paid by the household is accepted as housing costs.
Only loans issued by a credit institution which is under public supervision, such as a bank, are accepted.
Not accepted as housing loans are
- loans issued by a contractor or employer
- Remaining balance of the purchase price.
Housing costs for which you cannot get housing allowance
Kela does not accept as housing costs certain other housing-related payments which are paid separately. These include
- electricity
- sauna
- laundry room
- parking
- internet access
- furniture
Only the costs that you or a member of your household have are accepted as housing costs. This means, for example, that if your employer or a company pays part of your housing costs, that part is not accepted.