Ministry of Social Affairs and Health circulating draft government proposal for comments: general social security benefit to no longer be impacted by a partial early old-age pension granted before 16 January 2026

The general social security benefit (yleistuki) is a means-tested benefit. This means that if you have capital income or other income that is not wages or salary, that income can have an impact on the amount of general social security benefit you can get. According to the Act on General Social Security Benefit, a partial early old-age pension is taken into account as income in the means test for the general social security benefit, and it can reduce the amount of general social security benefit you can get.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is currently requesting comments on its draft government proposal for new legislation. If the proposal passes into law, a partial early old-age pension granted before 16 January 2026 will no longer have an effect on general social security benefit.

However, the legislative change would not apply to partial early old-age pensions granted on or after 16 January 2026. Those will still count as income in the means test for the general social security benefit even if the proposal passes into law.

If the proposal passes into law, the change will affect customers who have been issued a decision on their partial early old-age pension before 16 January 2026.

The Government intends to submit the proposal to Parliament in spring 2026. The intention is for the new legislation to enter into force as soon as possible, but in autumn 2026 at the latest.

If approved by Parliament, the new legislation can be applied retroactively as from 1 May 2026. This means that if you were granted a partial early old-age pension before 16 January 2026 and Kela has taken your pension into account as income in the means test for your general social security benefit, Kela will adjust its decision on your benefit after the new legislation has entered into force. Once Kela has adjusted its decision, your partial early old-age pension will no longer reduce your general social security benefit.

We will monitor the ongoing process and publish an update on our Unemployment page after the legislative amendment has entered into force.