Large number of changes planned for social security in 2027

The initial deductible and the maximum annual limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs (lääkekatto) will be increased by 2.3% in line with the National Pensions Index. In 2027, the initial deductible on prescription medicines will be EUR 71.92, while the maximum annual limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs will be EUR 650.56.

Read more about reimbursements for medicine costs.
 
An increasing number of people with a low income can get interest-free credit for medicine costs (medicine cost credit, lääkeluotto) from Kela to help them pay their annual out-of-pocket maximum. At the beginning of 2027, the income limit for medicine cost credit will increase from EUR 1,800 to EUR 2,200 per month. The credit allows the annual out-of-pocket maximum to be divided into smaller monthly instalments.

Read more about credit for medicine costs.

The Government has proposed to expand the freedom of choice pilot for persons aged 65 and over. In the pilot, customers who are 65 or older can see a general practitioner in the private sector at the price of the local user fee charged by public healthcare providers. If the government proposal is adopted, the freedom of choice pilot will cover six doctor’s appointments per calendar year instead of the current three, and four physiotherapy appointments per calendar year will be added to the services covered by the pilot. The freedom of choice pilot will also be extended by one year so that it will end on 31 December 2028. The proposed changes are planned to become effective on 1 January 2027.

Read more about the expansion of the freedom of choice pilot.

The names and age limits of disability allowances will change in 2027. Disability allowance for persons under 16 years of age will be renamed to disability allowance for children (lapsen vammaistuki) and disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over will be renamed to disability allowance for adults (aikuisen vammaistuki).
 
After the change, teens aged 16–17 will qualify for disability allowance for children. Consequently, the minimum age limit for disability allowance for adults and care allowance for pensioners will be raised to 18. The right to disability allowance for children will also be extended to cover more teens with coeliac disease. From the beginning of 2027, teens aged 16–17 can get disability allowance for children at the basic rate based on coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis if they have been diagnosed with either condition and observe a gluten-free diet. 

Parents’ right to get special care allowance (erityishoitoraha) for the duration of their child’s treatment or rehabilitation will also be extended to cover the treatment of teens aged 16–17. The benefit is currently paid to parents who must take time off work to participate in the care of a child under the age of 16.

Disability allowances paid by Kela will be increased by 2.3% in line with the National Pensions Index. The basic amount of both disability allowance for children and disability allowance for adults will be EUR 112.99 per month in 2027.

The changes will enter into force on 1 January 2027.

Read more about the changes to disability allowances and special care allowance.

The qualifying criteria that apply to child home care allowance (kotihoidon tuki) will change in 2027. After the change, the allowance will be paid to applicants who have lived in Finland or another EU or EEA country for at least 3 years after reaching the age of 16. In addition, the right to apply for child home care allowance will be limited to the child’s parents, and only a parent who looks after their child themselves can get the allowance. The changes will enter into force on 1 January 2027.

Read more about the changes to child home care allowance

There will be no increases to child benefit (lapsilisä) payments in 2027. The amounts of child maintenance allowance (elatustuki) and child support (elatusapu) will be increased in line with the Cost-of-living Index as of 1 January 2027. The minimum rates of daily allowances for parents (vanhempainpäivärahat) and child care allowances (lastenhoidon tuet) will not be index adjusted at the beginning of the year. The rates of these allowances will remain the same as in 2023–2026.

The Government has proposed that the Act on Student Financial Aid be replaced by a new Act on Student Benefits. Changes are proposed to the terms of student financial aid, study grant and its provider supplement, student housing supplement, government guarantees for student loans, school transport subsidy, student loan compensation and assistance with student loan interest. In addition, the supplementary allowance for the purchase of study materials will be abolished if the new Act on Student Benefits is adopted. Most of the proposed changes are planned to become effective on 1 August 2027.

Read more about the changes to student financial aid and school transport subsidy.
 
Study grant rates will not be index adjusted. This means that they will stay the same as in 2023–2026. An 18-year-old student living independently will qualify for a study grant of EUR 279.38 per month in 2027.

The Government has proposed that the amount of general social security benefit (yleistuki) granted on the basis of unemployment be reduced if the applicant does not meet the work requirement (työssäoloehto) and has lived in Finland or in another EU or EEA country for less than three years. However, the benefit would be paid in full to applicants with sufficient knowledge of Finnish, Swedish or Sámi. The proposed change is planned to become effective on 1 April 2027.

Read more about general social security benefit paid at a reduced rate (integration support)
 
In addition, the Government has proposed that individuals under temporary protection get the right to general social security benefit as of 1 April 2027. Temporary protection is intended for persons fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Read more about individuals under temporary protection and their right to general social security benefit.

Next year, the amount of general social security benefit granted on the basis of unemployment will be EUR 37.21 per day. This is the same per-day amount that Kela paid in labour market subsidy (työmarkkinatuki) and basic unemployment allowance (peruspäiväraha) in 2023–2026. The reduced rate of general social security benefit (integration support, kotoutumistuki) is slated to be EUR 33.64 per day.

The municipality-specific maximum limits that Kela applies to acceptable housing costs when calculating social assistance (toimeentulotuki) will change on 1 January 2027. The change will affect how much social assistance one can get for housing costs. In some municipalities, the maximum limits will stay the same, while in others they will increase or decrease. Amount-wise, the maximum limits for acceptable housing costs will typically change by a few dozen euros.
 
This change is due to an upcoming amendment to the Act on Social Assistance, which introduces a new calculation model for the maximum limits.

Read more about the changes to maximum limits for housing costs in social assistance.

Basic social assistance will be raised by 2.3% in line with the National Pensions Index as of 1 January 2027. This means that the basic amount of social assistance for persons living alone will be increased by EUR 13.13 to EUR 591.56 per month.

There will be no index adjustments to the criteria for determining the amount of payable general housing allowance (yleinen asumistuki) in 2027. They will remain the same as in 2026. This means that there will be no changes to the heating or water costs or the maximum housing costs that can be taken into account in general housing allowance.

The pensions paid by Kela (national pension, guarantee pension, survivors’ pensions), along with front-veterans’ supplements will be increased by 2.3% in line with the National Pensions Index as of 1 January 2027. In 2027, the full amount of the guarantee pension (takuueläke) is EUR 1,013.39 per month. The full amount is paid out if the pensioner is not paid any other pensions or if their pensions are very small.

See our table for the euro amounts of benefits as of 1 January 2027.

Care allowance for pensioners (eläkettä saavan hoitotuki) will also see an index increase of 2.3% at the beginning of next year. The basic amount of care allowance for pensioners will be EUR 84.48 per month in 2027.

No increases will be made to the amounts of heating, water or maintenance costs or maximum housing costs that can be taken into account in housing allowance for pensioners in 2027. The amounts will stay the same as in 2023–2026.