Where to get help in a difficult situation? Information on social security benefits and social services

Many things can have a negative effect on your ability to work. For example, a chronic illness, mental health problems, substance abuse or burnout can make it difficult to manage, especially if you face many of these hurdles at the same time. Your application for sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) or pension can be rejected even if you feel that you do not have the strength to work another day.

Your situation may feel especially hopeless if it seems impossible to go back to work or find a suitable job. You do not have to struggle alone. You can always ask for help.

See also:

What to do if my work capacity has declined? Follow these six steps to move forward

Has Kela rejected your application for a disability pension?

Things to keep in mind about Kela benefits

If you are unemployed and you apply for sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) or rehabilitation subsidy (kuntoutustuki), you should stay registered with the employment services as an active jobseeker looking for a full-time job. By doing so, you will not lose your unemployment benefits even if your application for sickness allowance or rehabilitation subsidy is rejected.

Similarly, if you have used up all your sickness allowance days, you should immediately register with the employment services as a jobseeker to secure a basic living for yourself.

If you are a student and Kela grants you sickness allowance, Kela will automatically stop paying you student financial aid (opintotuki). Remember to tell Kela when you return to studying full time.

If you are unemployed and you apply for social assistance (toimeentulotuki), you must register with the employment services as a jobseeker looking for a full-time job. If you do not register, Kela may have to reduce the basic amount (perusosa) of your social assistance. You can tell the employment services if you have any issues with your ability to work when you register as a jobseeker. The employment services will take your situation into account in your job search.

What can I do next?

The first step may be to contact a healthcare provider, such as a public health centre (terveysasema). They can assess your health, the kind of treatment you need, your functional capacity and your ability to work. You may have a reduced ability to work even without an official diagnosis.

The social services of your wellbeing services county can help you if you face issues involving your daily life, income, housing or finding the right services while struggling with your ability to work.

Check the contact information for your wellbeing services county: Wellbeing services counties on the map (stm.fi)

If an illness or medical condition makes it difficult for you to find a job or return to work, Kela’s vocational rehabilitation services may be a good option for you. To use rehabilitation services, you will usually need a medical statement or some other corresponding statement on your need for rehabilitation.

If you are unemployed and need employment services, social services, health services and rehabilitation services at the same time, joint cross-sectoral employment-promoting services (TYM services) may be a good option for you. When you participate in TYM services, employment authorities, your wellbeing services county and Kela work together to assess your needs and select the right services for you.

Families with children face many kinds of challenges on a daily basis. You may be exhausted as a parent or worried about your family’s finances. You may also stop doing things together as a family if you cannot afford it. Conflicts between family members, concerns about your child’s behaviour or feelings of inadequacy can make you feel even more stressed.

Asking for help before the situation gets out of control shows that you care about your child and your family as a whole.

Things to keep in mind about Kela benefits

General housing allowance (yleinen asumistuki) is one of the most important Kela benefits for low-income families with children. The allowance is meant to help families with a low income with their housing costs.

If all the income and assets you have as a family are not enough to cover your essential everyday expenses, you can apply for social assistance (toimeentulotuki) from Kela. If you have expenses that you cannot get social assistance for from Kela, the social services of your wellbeing services county may provide you with supplementary or preventive social assistance after considering your situation.

Also make sure that you have applied for all Kela benefits for families with children that your family qualifies for.

If your child has a medical condition or disability, you may have the right to use Kela’s rehabilitation services.

Please contact Kela if you have questions about your benefits or Kela’s services.

What can I do next?

The social services that your wellbeing services county offers for families with children can assess your family’s situation as a whole. You may need help for example with managing your daily life or exhaustion levels as a parent, or with child rearing, interactions between family members or financial difficulties.

Depending on your family’s circumstances, you may get some of the following services:

• home services for families with children
• family work
• child guidance and family counselling
• social guidance or social work
• help with making sense of your finances
• services that promote inclusion and social interaction.

Home services for families with children can help you with caring for your children and with everyday tasks in the home. Family work helps families identify their resources and improve their interactions. Child guidance and family counselling can give you guidance in areas such as child development, child rearing and family relationships.

You can contact social services the moment you realise you need help and support. In many cases, you can get the help you need through the social services offered for families with children, so that child welfare services do not need to be involved.

Check the contact information for your wellbeing services county: Wellbeing services counties on the map (stm.fi)

Financial problems can get worse very quickly. You may suddenly lose part of your income, benefit amounts may become smaller due to cuts made to social security, you may fall behind on your bills or you may have difficulties paying your rent each month. Addictions such as a gambling addiction can also cost you more money than expected, and as problems pile up, you may start to feel like you are losing control of your situation.

Remember that financial problems are not a sign of failure. Financial problems can happen to anyone due to a change in their situation, such as unemployment, illness, divorce or a rent increase. Get help at an early stage. Do not wait for your situation to become critical.

Things to keep in mind about Kela benefits

If your finances are tight, check that you have applied for all Kela benefits you have the right to, such as general housing allowance (yleinen asumistuki). It is meant to help low-income households with their housing costs. Please contact Kela if you have questions about your benefits or Kela’s services.

If all your income and assets are not enough to cover your essential everyday expenses, you can apply for social assistance (toimeentulotuki) from Kela. If your income is low, you can get social assistance even if you have a job, for example if part of your work income is garnished by the enforcement authorities.

Kela’s medicine cost credit (lääkeluotto) can help you if your income is small and you cannot get social assistance but you have to pay a lot of money for prescription medicine for yourself or your child in a short period of time. Medicine cost credit helps divide the annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket medicine costs (vuosiomavastuu) into more manageable instalments.

If Kela is recovering debt from you or you have trouble paying your debt back to Kela, please contact Kela’s Overpayment Recovery Centre as quickly as possible to agree on a payment plan.

What can I do next?

Kela can help you contact services such as financial and debt counselling. They can give advice on your finances and help you with matters related to your debts. The service is free of charge and confidential. All staff are bound by a confidentiality obligation. The financial and debt counselling service also gives you access to Financial Counselling Clinics that can help you with your finances without an appointment. At the clinic, you can discuss your situation, get advice and explore your options with experts.

Kela may also help you contact the social services of your wellbeing services county for advice with your finances. Social services can help you access services and find the right kind of support for you. They will also look at your circumstances as a whole instead of focusing only on your finances and give you advice and tools for making things better.

Wellbeing services counties also offer access to treatment for substance abuse and addiction issues. You can get help for problems caused by addictions such as alcohol, drugs, medicine misuse or gambling. Get help the moment you start feeling worried about your situation or your addiction starts affecting your daily life, relationships or finances. You are not alone.

Check the contact information for your wellbeing services county: Wellbeing services counties on the map (stm.fi)

 

You may struggle to keep up with your studies or you may have to put them on hold due to, for example, mental health issues, burnout, learning difficulties or a difficult life situation. Kela may also stop paying you student financial aid (opintotuki) if your studies are delayed, which can complicate your finances. This can lead to a situation where you find it difficult to decide if you should continue to study, look for a job or focus on your health first of all.

You are not alone. You can contact for example student health services, student welfare services or the social services of your wellbeing services county for help. The specialised social workers who work in student welfare services offer support for learning and wellbeing as well as social and mental capabilities.

Things to keep in mind about Kela benefits

If you are a student and Kela grants you sickness allowance, Kela will automatically stop paying you student financial aid. Remember to tell Kela when you return to studying full time.

Thinking about applying for social assistance (toimeentulotuki)? If you run out of student financial aid months before graduating, check if you can get an extension to your student financial aid period before you apply for social assistance. More information about social assistance for students.

What can I do next?

If your studies have slowed down because of a medical condition or mental health issues, you should get evaluated by a healthcare provider. They will help you assess what kind of treatment, rehabilitation or other support you need.

You may also benefit from social guidance or social work offered by your wellbeing services county if you are struggling with your studies because you cannot consistently support yourself financially, you are in debt, you have issues with your housing or you find it difficult to use public services. Social services can help you understand your situation as a whole and find the right services that will help you move forward.

Check the contact information for your wellbeing services county: Wellbeing services counties on the map (stm.fi)

Young people under the age of 30 can also contact a One-Stop Guidance Center (Ohjaamo) for help. One-Stop Guidance Centers offer young people easy access to free support, for example in matters related to housing, studying and finding a job. The centers can also give you advice on Kela benefits.

Outreach youth services are confidential and free services intended for people under the age of 29. These services can help you in various life situations and in finding and accessing the right services for you.