Kela to begin paying new general social security benefit to the unemployed
Kela will begin paying a new benefit called the general social security benefit to the unemployed as of 1 May 2026. The general social security benefit replaces labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance. This change does not affect your status as a Kela customer, and you do not need to contact Kela.
If you are paid basic unemployment allowance
If you get basic unemployment allowance (peruspäiväraha), Kela will replace it with the general social security benefit (yleistuki) as of 1 May.
If you have been granted additional days to your basic unemployment allowance, they will also be replaced with the general social security benefit as of 1 May.
This change does not affect your status as a Kela customer. If your unemployment continues, stay registered as an active jobseeker with the employment services and continue to regularly file unemployment status reports in OmaKela every 4 weeks.
Please note that the general social security benefit is a means-tested benefit unlike basic unemployment allowance. This means that if you have capital income or other income, you may get a smaller amount of general social security benefit. More information about the means test (kela.fi).
If you are paid labour market subsidy
If you get labour market subsidy (työmarkkinatuki), Kela will replace it with the general social security benefit as of 1 May.
This change does not affect your status as a Kela customer. Stay registered as an active jobseeker with the employment services and continue to regularly file unemployment status reports in OmaKela every 4 weeks.
If you are 55 or older and Kela has been paying you labour market subsidy without applying a means test, this will change when you are switched over to the general social security benefit. The general social security benefit is a means-tested benefit. This means that if you have capital income or other income, you may get a smaller amount of general social security benefit. More information about the means test (kela.fi).
Kela will check your income
After the general social security benefit has been implemented, Kela will check if you have income that must be taken into account in the means test. You do not have to do anything or contact Kela.
Kela will tell you if Kela notices during the means test that you have income that affects how much general social security benefit you can get.
If you become unemployed as of 1 May
If you become unemployed or you are temporarily laid off, register immediately as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services of your municipality of residence (kotikunta) on Job Market Finland.
If you are not a member of an unemployment fund (työttömyyskassa), you can apply for the general social security benefit as of 1 May.
If you use up your earnings-related unemployment allowance
You can apply for the general social security benefit from Kela as of 1 May if you are still unemployed when you reach the end of the maximum payment period for your earnings-related unemployment allowance (ansiopäiväraha). In that case, Kela will not apply a waiting period to your general social security benefit.
Stay registered as an active jobseeker with the employment services and apply for the general social security benefit in OmaKela. Go to the Unemployment section on Kela’s website for more detailed instructions on how to apply.
How will unemployment benefits change?
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