The retention periods for benefit-related data are based on the legislation governing the benefits. The data are retained for as long as necessary to carry out Kela’s statutory duties. Besides the time required by the review of applications for benefit, the retention period takes into account the time needed to process appeals and overpayment recoveries.
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Reimbursement for prescription medicine paid by Kela (not including reimbursements paid after reaching the annual maximum on out-of-pocket costs) proof of transaction | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; |
| Reimbursements for medical expenses and travel costs: proof of transaction | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; |
| Benefit |
|
|
| Pharmacy payments | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 14 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Entitlement to reimbursement for prescription medicines | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 14 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Prescription medicines: Reimbursement of costs exceeding the annual maximum on out-of-pocket costs | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 14 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Prescription medicines: Reimbursement at the office | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 14 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Benefit |
| Legal basis for retention period |
| Reimbursements for prescription medicines - summary of payments (record of pharmacy transactions approved for payment, with itemised corrections) | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 14 of the Health Insurance Act | |
| Reimbursements for prescription medicines paid by Kela (not including reimbursements paid after reaching the annual maximum on out-of-pocket costs): claims determination data | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 14 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Reimbursements for medical expenses and travel costs: Proof of transaction | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 15, section 9, subsection 1; section 14; and sections 18 and 19 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Direct reimbursements for taxi journeys and customer data | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Rehabilitation | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 2, section 10, subsection 2 of the Accounting Act |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Student healthcare - Healthcare fee for students in higher education | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Sections 27 and 37 of the Act on Healthcare for Students in Higher Education; Section 20 of the Act on the Enforcement of Taxes and Payments |
| Student health services | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Section 53 b of the Administrative Procedure Act; Section 7 of the Universities Act; Section 11 of the Universities of Applied Sciences Act; and decrees issued under the above Acts |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Housing allowance for pensioners | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Special assistance for immigrants | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Special care allowance | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Student financial aid - Interest assistance | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| School transport subsidy | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Section 14 of the Act on School Transport Subsidies |
| School transport subsidy invoices | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Section 14 of the Act on School Transport Subsidies Chapter 2, section 10, subsection 2 of the Accounting Act |
| Rehabilitation (rehabilitative psychotherapy, vocational rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation for young persons, intensive medical rehabilitation, rehabilitation provided on a discretionary basis) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Cross-border medical care | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Student financial aid - Student loan compensation | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Sections 15 c, 15 d and 15 e of the Act on Student Financial Aid |
| Family benefits - child maintenance allowance, adoption grant, maternity grant, child benefit, child care allowance, compensation for family leave costs, compensation for annual leave costs, special maternity allowance, special pregnancy allowance | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Social assistance - Basic income | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Partial sickness allowance, sickness allowance on account of human cell, tissue and organ donation, sickness allowance payable under the Self-Employed Persons Pensions Act | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Conscript's allowance (incl. lump-sum compensation) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Section 18a of the Military Assistance Act |
| Basic social assistance | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Sections 49 c and 52 of the Administrative Procedure Act Sections 18 and 22 of the Social Assistance Act |
| Occupational health services provided by employers, occupational health services for self-employed persons | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Chapter 15, sections 14 and 18-19 of the Health Insurance Act |
| Unemployment protection -receivables interest, combination subsidy | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Disability benefits - dietary grant | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Act on Disability Benefits: Section 2 (award of benefit for indefinite period), section 6 (award of disability allowance to a person aged 16 or over or of pensioners’ care allowance without residence-period requirements to clients in receipt of a disability allowance for persons under 16 upon reaching age 16) |
| Income security | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| General housing allowance | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Chapter 5 of the Act on General Housing Allowances |
| Etuus | Mistä säilytysajan laskenta alkaa | Säilytysajan peruste |
| Family benefits - daily allowances for parents (maternity, paternity and parental allowance; partial parental allowance; pregnancy allowance) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Recovery of overpayments - exemption from payment of child support debt, recovery of child support debt | Finalisation of recovery (date) | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 2, section 10 of the Accounting Act |
| Recovery of overpayments - overpaid benefits (incl. foreign recoveries, income monitoring for student financial aid, legal costs and interest on receivables) | Finalisation of recovery (date) | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24- 24 of the Enforcement Code; Chapter 2, section 10 of the Accounting Act |
| Sickness allowance, infectious disease allowance | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Student financial aid | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Section 34 of the Act on Student Financial Aid (period of validity of the government guarantee) |
| Study grant (incl. provider supplement and supplement for the purchase of study materials), housing supplement, government guarantee for student loan (incl. adult education allowance) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code; Section 34 of the Act on Student Financial Aid (period of validity of the government guarantee) |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Cross-border medical care - management of the costs of cross-border medical care (dispatch or receipt of invoices) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Student loan tax deduction | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Sections 16 d and 16 e of the Act on Student Financial Aid superseded by Act of Parliament 1243/2013 Sections 127 d and 127 e of the Income Tax Act |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Basic unemployment allowance, labour market subsidy, integration assistance for immigrants | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Unemployment benefits - training allowance and training subsidy (discontinued training benefits for the unemployed) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Unemployment benefits - Job alternation compensation | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Cross-border medical care - Entitlement to medical care (issuance of decision on entitlement to medical care) | Finalisation of job, document or administrative decision | EArticle 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Benefit | Start of retention period | Legal basis for retention period |
| Pension assistance, child increase, survivors’ pensions (spouse’s pension and or orphan’s pension), front-veterans’ supplements, front-veterans’ supplements payable abroad, guarantee pension, individual early retirement pension, old-age pension (early or deferred, technical pension category) | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Disability pension, rehabilitation subsidy | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
| Insurance coverage | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act; Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration; Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications; Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code |
Disability benefits - disability allowance for persons under the age of 16, disability allowance for persons aged 16 or over, pensioners’ care allowance | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Act on Disability Benefits: Section 2 (award of benefit for the time being), section 6 (award of disability allowance to a person aged 16 or over or of pensioners’ care allowance without residence-period requirements to clients in receipt of a disability allowance for persons under 16 upon reaching age 16) |
| Disability benefits - interpreting service for the disabled | Birth | Article 5 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation; Sections 8 and 13 of the Archives Act Section 21 of the Act on Information Management in Public Administration Provisions of the benefit legislation pertaining to appeals and rectifications Chapter 2, section 24 of the Enforcement Code Section 22 of the Act on Interpreting Services for the Disabled |