Many who fled the war in Ukraine will soon become eligible for Kela benefits – new form to simplify benefit application process

Thousands of Ukrainians who fled the war will soon become eligible to apply for Ke-la benefits. Eligibility starts when they have lived in Finland for 12 months. Based on residence or long-term employment, Ukrainians can apply for child benefits, housing allowance and other benefits. To simplify the application process, Kela is introducing a new form that makes it possible to apply for a Kela card and child benefits at the same time.

More than 45,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion have arrived in Finland since March 2022. Many of them will soon become eligible for Kela benefits, having lived in Finland for more than 12 months. Kela is ready to serve Ukrainians fleeing the war and to do its share to promote their integration in Finland.

Pilvi Vanne, Customer Relations Manager at Kela, says that it is Kela’s responsibility to provide economic security.

“We are working alongside other organisations to ensure that those who fled the war in Ukraine are able to transition from reception services through to integration services and on to the Finnish residence-based social security system as smooth-ly as possible,” she says. 

Twelve months’ residence gives eligibility for many benefits

Once someone receiving temporary protection has stayed 12 months in Finland, they can apply to Kela for what are called residence-based benefits, including child benefit and hous-ing allowance. Eligibility for these benefits may also be earned through long-term employ-ment in Finland. They also qualify for a Kela card that allows them to get reimbursements for prescription drug costs.  

After the 12 months are up, customers can also apply to be registered as a resident of a Finnish municipality (“home municipality”). Applications for a home municipality are made to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Once they have a home municipality, they transition from reception services to integration services and get the right to apply for such benefits as child care allowances and, under certain conditions, social assistance if they have no other source of income or their income is small.

Being registered with a home municipality does not automatically confer a right to Kela benefits, and having a home municipality is not a requirement for receiving residence-based benefits, although it may affect the amount of housing allowance and other benefits. In or-der to qualify for housing allowance, housing costs must be reasonable.

Pilvi Vanne emphasises that someone does not have to make a decision to settle in Finland permanently in order to apply for benefits or a home municipality:

”They can apply for ben-efits even if they intend to return to Ukraine later on,” she says.

New form to simplify benefit application process

Kela does not grant benefits automatically, but customers must apply for benefits separate-ly. However, in order to simplify the application process, Kela is introducing a new form for Ukrainians, allowing them to apply for a Kela card and child benefits at the same time. 

“We have recognized that these are the first things people apply for from Kela. The new form will be available in both Ukrainian and Russian, and other key forms will also be trans-lated into these languages. This helps make the application process as smooth as possible without customers having to visit a Kela service point,” says Pilvi Vanne.

The forms will be available online at kela.fi/forms.

Government agencies work together to support integration

Cooperation between different government agencies and between official bodies and other organizations working with Ukrainians is crucial for the integration process. Kela organises webinars and other events for partners and with them and participates in local cooperation processes. 

“We are actively working with organizations such as reception centres and municipal inte-gration services in order to ensure that customers receive information on the benefits they can apply for and when to submit applications. We also bring pop-up information events and services to the places where our customers are,” says Vanne. 

“The war has caused a lot of grief and uncertainty, and we want to support the Ukrainians and help them find security in the new situation they are in.”