The amount of the rehabilitation allowance for young persons and the allowance payable during vocational rehabilitation will change
There will be a decrease in the rehabilitation allowance for young persons and the allowance payable during vocational rehabilitation. As of the beginning of 2024, all rehabilitation allowances will be determined on the basis of the same criteria irrespective of the type of rehabilitation.
Parliament has approved a legislative amendment that harmonises the grounds for determining rehabilitation allowance. As of 1 January 2024, the minimum rates of the rehabilitation allowance for young persons and the allowance paid during vocational rehabilitation will be reduced to the level of the regular rehabilitation allowance, i.e. 31.99 euros per working day. This is a reduction of about 13 per cent. The minimum allowance rate applies to individuals who have little or no income.
In future, the amount of rehabilitation allowance will be determined on the same grounds regardless of the type of rehabilitation, even in cases where the amount of rehabilitation allowance is higher than the minimum amount.
These changes will apply to rehabilitation allowance granted for rehabilitation which begins on or after 1 January 2024. If rehabilitation has started before 1 January 2024, the rehabilitation allowance will continue to be paid in accordance with the rehabilitation allowance decision previously given to the customer. In other words, rehabilitation allowance granted in 2023 will not be affected by the cut.
In 2022, a total of 51,900 persons received rehabilitation allowances. About 15,100 of them received rehabilitation allowance for young persons, while about 21,500 received rehabilitation allowance during vocational rehabilitation. Kela paid a total of 243 million euros in regular rehabilitation allowances and 125 million euros in rehabilitation allowances for young persons. According to the Government's calculations, the proposed changes will reduce Kela’s benefit expenditure by 27 million euros.
Additional information
- Government proposal to Parliament HE 60/2023 vp (in Finnish)Government proposal to Parliament for the amendment of the Kela Rehabilitation Act
- All press releases about the changes to the social security benefits are available at www.kela.fi/changes.