The basic rate of the care allowance is
EUR 84.17 per month
Care allowance for pensioners
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The care allowance for pensioners is for persons who receive a pension and have a chronic illness or disability. Its purpose is to make daily life easier and to support treatment and rehabilitation.
Who can get care allowance for pensioners?
Care allowance for pensioners can be paid to persons who meet all of the following conditions:
- they are at least 16 years of age
- they are fully retired and receive a pension from Finland or abroad (e.g. an old-age pension, disability pension or rehabilitation subsidy)
- they have lived at least 3 years in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom
- they have a disability or chronic illness diagnosed by a doctor that limits their ability to function for a period of at least 12 months
- they need help, guidance or supervision because of the illness or disability.
Anyone on partial disability or part-time pension can apply for disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over.
The allowance can be granted for a specific period of time or until further notice. If granted for a specific period of time, it is possible to apply for continued payment of the allowance.
The following questions can help you estimate if care allowance for pensioners is available. However, please note that each application will be reviewed individually.
In order to get disability allowance, the person must have a long-term disability or illness that has been diagnosed by a doctor.
Note, however, that the diagnosis alone does not qualify the client for disability allowance.
A reduction in a person’s ability to function means that they may find it difficult to take care of themselves, manage household chores, do their shopping, or visit a doctor independently. The disability or illness must already have limited their ability to function for a period of at least 12 months or be likely to do so in Kela’s estimation.
Note, however, that a reduction in the ability to function does not, alone, qualify them for disability allowance. We will also assess how much help, guidance and supervision the they need.
In order to qualify for care allowance, the person must need help or guidance and supervision from another person e.g with the following activities:
- getting around, dressing or washing
- eating or remembering to eat or drink
- seeing, hearing, speaking or keeping track of things
- dealing with a health condition or taking medication
- spending time outdoors (due to a risk of getting lost).
The help, guidance and supervision can take the form of e.g. reminders, encouragement or keeping an eye on the person. It does not matter who provides the help, guidance or supervision. It could be e.g. a loved one, the home help service or a home healthcare professional. The client may need an assistive device or interpreter assistance in their daily life. Note, however, that using or needing an assistive device does not, alone, qualify them to care allowance.
Also note that the care allowance is not available if the client only needs help with household chores or personal errands. However, persons who are blind or unable to move always have a right to at least the basic rate of care allowance.
How much is the care allowance for pensioners?
The care allowance for pensioners is payable at three different rates, depending on the need of help, guidance and supervision. Kela determines the rate of the allowance based on the application submitted. Applicants do not need to know in advance what rate of allowance to apply for.
Kela pays a disability supplement for war veterans to veterans who receive from Kela both a front-veterans’ additional supplement and care allowance for pensioners at the middle or highest rate.
The basic rate is for those who need at least weekly help or guidance and supervision in such activities as
- getting around
- dressing
- personal hygiene
- eating
- taking medication
Customers who have a right to care allowance at the basic rate and who have an illness or disability that causes continuous extra expenses can get care allowance at the middle rate instead of the basic rate.
The middle rate is available to customers who need a lot of daily help or guidance and supervision in activities such as
- getting around
- dressing
- personal hygiene
- eating
- taking medication
Care allowance at the middle rate can be paid e.g. to customers with significant memory loss or balance issues or who cannot eat or take medication independently.
Customers who have a right to the basic rate of care allowance and who have an illness or disability that causes continuous additional expenses can get care allowance at the middle rate instead of the basic rate. Such additional expenses are referred to as special expenses. The special expenses must each month amount to at least the care allowance at the middle rate.
Special expenses include
- care fees for assisted living
- home care and home healthcare fees
- cleaning or shopping service fees
- transport fees for meal service
- visits to a doctor
- rehabilitation and treatment prescribed by a doctor
- medicines
- travel costs related to rehabilitation or treatment
Care allowance at the highest rate is available to those who need treatment and supervision around the clock and are only able manage by themselves for brief periods of time.
It can be paid for example to customers who need help with almost all activities who are mostly confined to bed.
It is intended for veterans whom Kela pays front-veterans’ additional supplement and care allowance for pensioners at the middle or highest rate.
No application is required as Kela is able to identify potential recipients on the basis of their current benefit status. The new disability supplement is provided under the Act on Disability Benefits and is paid out as a component of the care allowance for pensioners.
The disability supplement for war veterans-employment grants is tax-free income. It does not reduce the amount of the housing allowance for pensioners, and it is also available to veterans undergoing inpatient treatment.
The effect of other benefits and income
Income and assets do not affect the amount of the care allowance.
If a customer receives care allowance or supplementary handicap or dependency benefit under the employment accident and motor insurance laws on the basis of the same illness or disability, that benefit is deducted from the care allowance.
If a customer receives a corresponding benefit from abroad on the basis of the same illness or disability, also that benefit is deducted from the care allowance.
The care allowance is tax-free income.
Payment date
If banks are closed on the scheduled payment date, the allowance is paid on the nearest preceding banking day.
The care allowance is usually paid into the recipient's bank account or into an account designated by the recipient's legal representative. If the customer is under 18 years of age, the allowance is paid into their guardian’s bank account. It cannot be paid to anyone else, including the customer’s other family members.
How to apply for care allowance for pensioners
If you are applying for care allowance for pensioners:
- Complete the form Care allowance for pensioners/Disability allowance for persons aged 16 years or over (EV 256e, PDF)
- Save the blank form to your device. Do not fill in the form directly in the browser, because some of the information may not be saved that way.
- Open the form with Adobe Reader and fill it in.
- Save the completed claim to your device. Note that the application must be in PDF format.
- Use the same form if you are applying for a higher rate of allowance or applying for continued payment.
- Read our instructions for technical problems.
- Send the application using the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish):
- Log in to OmaKela and select Tee hakemus (File an application).
- Select Vammaistuet (Disability benefits) and Eläkettä saavan hoitotuki (Care allowance for pensioners).
- When you send your application in OmaKela, you do not need to sign it.
- If you have supporting documents, send them via OmaKela after you have submitted your application. If they are paper documents, you can photograph them. Supporting documents you will need to enclose:
- A recent medical statement C (may not be more than 6 months old). Alternatively, you can also enclose some other medical statement, such as a medical certificate B or a copy of your medical history, if they contain the information needed to decide the application. We need information about the customer’s illnesses, current functional status and health.
- In OmaKela, you can see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when the allowance will be paid. A paper copy of each decision notice will also be sent to your home address if you have not opted out of paper mail.
If you cannot use OmaKela, mail the application to Kela. Print out the form, sign it and send the form and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
You can complete the application with someone who knows your situation well. You can also enclose a statement, written for example by someone who is helping you, which describes how well you are coping in your daily life.
Complete the application carefully
Describe in the application the situations and activities in which the applicant needs help, guidance or supervision. Also describe how the illness or disability impacts their daily life and ability to function. Note that the information provided in the medical statement is not sufficient in itself to decide the application.
How to apply for care allowance on behalf of another person
In the OmaKela e-service, you can also apply for care allowance on behalf of another person. Log in to OmaKela using your online banking credentials or mobile ID. Select Asioi toisen henkilön puolesta (Act on behalf of another person). In OmaKela, you can check when the allowance will be paid and how much it will be. You can also send messages and supporting documents on behalf of the person you are representing.
An authorisation is always needed when acting on behalf of another person.
If you cannot use OmaKela, the person you are representing can issue a power of attorney authorising you to manage their affairs by phone, by post or at a service point. They can also issue a verbal authorisation, but that will be valid for one-time use only. If you are the one mainly responsible for managing the applicant’s affairs and have the right to speak for them (“puhevalta”), you do not need a separate authorisation to act on their behalf.
Read more about acting on behalf of another person.
A death estate cannot apply for care allowance for pensioners.
Things to remember when applying for care allowance for pensioners
Kela can grant the allowance retrospectively for a maximum of 6 months. Retroactive payment is always considered from case to case.
You do not have to specify the period for which you are applying when filling in the application. Kela will instead determine the period for which the allowance is paid.
If you do not submit a medical statement with your application, we will set a deadline for you to provide the required documents or information. If you cannot provide the requested documents or further information by the specified deadline, you can call Kela and ask for an extension.
Please note that if we do not receive the requested document or information, we will have to turn down the application. We will review the application once we have received the necessary information.
Submit the application for continued payment and its supporting documents to Kela well in advance of the end of the payment period so that payment of the allowance is not interrupted. Applications for continued payment should be filed within six months of the end of the previous payment period.
A new medical statement is usually needed for an application for a higher rate of allowance. However, a new statement is not needed if you apply for a higher rate of allowance solely because of special expenses. In the Additional information section of the application, indicate that you are applying for a higher rate of allowance because of the expenses.
Report changes that affect the care allowance for pensioners
Tell Kela as soon as possible if the situation changes. The changes may affect the amount of the allowance or the right to receive it, and in that case the allowance could be over- or underpaid.
Tell Kela if
- there are significant changes in the applicant’s health and functional ability
- the applicant’s need of assistance has increased or decreased significantly
- the special expenses have decreased or increased significantly
- the applicant is granted a supplementary handicap or dependency benefit or equivalent compensation from some other payer than Kela
- the applicant moves away from Finland for an extended period of time.
You can report the changes in the OmaKela e-service, by post or by calling us.
If you do not report changes, you may be paid benefits you are not entitled to. In that case, the benefit will be recovered from you later. Read more about the recovery of overpaid benefits.
What else is going on in your life?
Do you need help with your housing costs?
The housing allowance for pensioners can compensate for reduced income and help with housing costs. Find out how much you can get.
Consider getting an EU Disability Card
You can use the EU Disability Card to show that you have a disability or long-term illness or that you need an assistant. The card can be used for example in public transport or when attending cultural and sports events. Learn more about the EU Disability Card.
Could rehabilitation be an option for you?
Kela provides access to rehabilitation for persons of all ages and in various life situations. Read more about the types of rehabilitation available from Kela.
Are you short of money?
If you have a very low income despite receiving other benefits from Kela, find out if you are eligible for social assistance.