Rehabilitation allowance
Government proposes changes to rehabilitation allowance
The Government is proposing a change to the calculation formula for rehabilitation allowance. It has also been proposed that the minimum age limit for rehabilitation allowance should be raised. Changes have also been proposed to the rehabilitation allowance for young persons and the rehabilitation allowance for young persons paid during vocational rehabilitation.
The purpose of the rehabilitation allowance is to provide economic security during rehabilitation.
You can qualify for a rehabilitation allowance if you are between 16 and 67 and participate in rehabilitation. After completion of a waiting period, you can receive rehabilitation allowance payments for days in which you participate in a rehabilitation measure that lasts at least four hours (including travel time) or otherwise prevents you from working and earning a living. A partial rehabilitation allowance may be available if your daily working hours have been reduced by 40% or more on account of participation in rehabilitation.
You will usually be paid either a salary or a rehabilitation allowance during participation in rehabilitation. If you are paid a salary, Kela will pay your rehabilitation allowance to your employer. If the allowance is higher than your salary, you get the difference. If you are not employed or are not paid a salary, Kela will pay the rehabilitation allowance to you.
Types of rehabilitation
You can be paid a rehabilitation allowance during participation in rehabilitation services arranged by Kela, an occupational health provider or your wellbeing county.
Persons under 20 can also be paid a rehabilitation allowance for young persons during intensified rehabilitation.
You can also get the rehabilitation allowance while you attend adaptation training, a rehabilitation course or family rehabilitation where the client is a person who is close to you.
Kela can pay you the allowance for periods in which
- you are waiting for long-term rehabilitation to begin
- your rehabilitation is interrupted for a short period of time by illness or other reason
Coordination with other benefits
Rehabilitation allowance is not available if you receive
- an old-age pension
- a full compensation for loss of income paid under a motor insurance, compulsory workers’ compensation insurance, or military accidents or injuries scheme.
Other benefits may affect the amount of the rehabilitation allowance.
Read more
- Rehabilitation allowance during participation in Kela rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation allowance during other rehabilitation
- How to apply for rehabilitation allowance
- Amount and payment of rehabilitation allowances
- Maintenance allowance
- Rehabilitation assistance
- Act on rehabilitation allowance benefits (finlex.fi, in Finnish)
- Decree on rehabilitation allowance benefits (finlex.fi, in Finnish)
