Child increase
Pensions paid by Kela can be supplemented by an increase for children under the age of 16.
A child increase can be granted if you receive any of the following:
- national pension
- a disability pension, partial disability pension, old-age pension or early old-age pension based on a public- or private-sector employment relationship
- a statutory pension in respect of disability under a workers compensation, motor insurance or military injuries scheme, a life annuity, a disability pension, or a compensation for loss of earnings paid for 12 months following a traffic accident.
Your pension is increased for each child of your own or of your spouse/partner under the age of 16 years who lives in Finland in your household. It is also available for foster children placed with you through a private placement process and for children of your own who do not live with you but for whose economic well-being you are responsible.
Being responsible for the economic well-being of your children who live elsewhere means that you pay for the maintenance of the child at least to the amount of the child maintenance allowance (EUR 196.02 per month). Such situations can occur for instance if you pay child support or if you buy different necessities for the child and the child visits you. Child support payments collected from you through enforcement action are also taken into account. Kela investigates whether these expenses amount to the equivalent of the child maintenance allowance.