The size of my paycheck may vary, but my bills will not wait – Kela survey highlights struggles with combining work with Kela benefits
Combining work with Kela benefits can be difficult if your income fluctuates. This is a struggle Kela is aware of. A survey conducted among the members of Kela’s Customer Community gave us insight into how this kind of uncertainty can impact our customers’ daily lives and what steps
Altogether 197 members of Kela’s Customer Community answered the survey. The respondents’ employment varied, but all were gainfully employed by an employer, as freelancers or through self-employment. Approximately half of all respondents reported some or a great amount of fluctuation in their earned income (work income). This kind of fluctuation was especially common for example among respondents who were self-employed or working part-time or temporary jobs.
The respondents did not all fit into one clear category employment-wise. The same respondent could have several jobs or be unemployed at times. The amount of hours a respondent would work could also change quickly even if they remained employed, while some would adjust how much they worked if their health or well-being called for it.
The number one desire many respondents expressed was for a more stable income that would allow them to make long-term plans.
“I would work in my field with a stable income, and that would make it easier to map out my life. I could work temporary jobs for extra income, but what I want the most is just stability.”
Changes in employment can lead to a multitude of questions
A total of 91 respondents had applied for or received Kela benefits while earning an income through employment or self-employment within the past year. Of these respondents, 60% reported that fluctuations in their income had caused uncertainty or complications with their Kela-related matters.
In the open-ended responses, respondents reported for example having to submit more information or documentation, uncertainty about how much their next benefit payment would be and fears that they would have to pay back benefits through recovery. Some noted that it was difficult for them to assess how temporary income from a job would affect their benefits later.
“I am also worried that if I get more income than I have estimated, I will have to pay some of my benefits back. That would destroy my budget.”
Some respondents reported variation in how much they work due to health concerns or their well-being. These respondents wanted to work when and to the extent that they could but noted that how much they can work may vary from month to month. Changes in work capacity was one of the factors reported as causing uncertainty with a respondent’s dealings with Kela.
Uncertainty causes stress especially when money is tight. Although your work income may be paid to you at different times and the payment dates and amounts of your Kela benefits may vary, you still have to pay your rent and other bills on their due dates.
Altogether 56% of respondents who had used Kela’s services at least somewhat disagreed with the claim that Kela takes different employment arrangements into account in its services and benefits. In the open-ended responses, respondents especially emphasised situations where their income or ability to work or the availability of work fluctuated.
Impact of accepting work difficult to predict
Of all respondents who had used Kela’s services while working, 64% at least somewhat agreed with the claim that accepting work posed a risk because it could affect their benefits.
These responses did not indicate that accepting work would not be worthwhile financially. Instead, they conveyed that it can be difficult to predict how accepting work will impact your situation. When you accept a job, knowing how much you will be paid in wages or salary is not enough. You must also check how the job you accept affects your benefits, what information you have to report to Kela and whether you may have to pay back benefits later.
Respondents want more predictability
Kela also played an important, positive role in the lives of the respondents. Some respondents described Kela benefits as an important source of support that made it possible for them to work in their circumstances. However, some respondents also reported that having to rely on benefits was draining because predicting the impact of changes was difficult.
Respondents called for clearer guidance on how to combine work with their benefits as well as for faster processing of their matters and a better overall understanding of their situation. Some of the changes proposed by the respondents concerned Kela’s services, some the rules that apply to benefits and some the entire benefit administration as a whole.
“The results of the survey show that combining your work and benefits is not necessarily the biggest challenge, but rather predicting how changes will impact your situation. When a customer’s income varies, they should be better able to assess in advance how their work and the income they earn affect everything else,” says Elina Salmi, Senior Specialist at Kela.
Help with combining work and benefits
Combining work with your benefits may feel particularly challenging if your income fluctuates or your work situation changes rapidly. You can find information and tools that can help you assess your situation in advance on Kela’s website at kela.fi.
For example, you can use the calculators on Kela’s website to estimate how much housing allowance (asumistuki) or social assistance (toimeentulotuki) you can get at different income levels. Kela’s website also gives you information on how income and housing costs affect general housing allowance, how changes in your income may affect Kela benefits, and how income and assets affect social assistance. You can also find instructions on which changes you need to report to Kela and when at kela.fi.
More information:
How do income and housing costs affect general housing allowance?
How do changes in income affect Kela benefits?
Income and assets affect social assistance
Do you work part time? You can get general social security benefit even if you do
If it is difficult for you to assess how your specific situation affects your benefits or if you have any questions, please contact Kela’s customer service as soon as possible. The sooner you contact us, the better we can help you check how upcoming changes may affect your situation and avoid surprises later on.
The survey was conducted among members of Kela’s Customer Community between 4 and 13 September 2026. A total of 197 members responded, and altogether 91 respondents answered questions about fitting income from work or self-employment together with the use of Kela’s services. The results describe the respondents’ experiences and cannot be generalised to apply to all those who are employed or Kela’s customers in general.
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