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How to claim conscript's allowance

Claim conscript's allowance online

Claim allowance
  1. Submit your claim online. Please note that the e-service is available in Finnish and Swedish only. You can claim basic assistance, housing assistance, special assistance or assistance for the interest due on student loans. Maintenance assistance is claimed on the application form for the conscript's allowance Sotilasavustus (SA1 in Finnish, PDF).
  2. Scan or take a photo of any supporting documents and send them online.
  3. Visit the OmaKela e-service to see if your application has been decided, how much you will get and when your benefits will be paid. You can also see possible reminders concerning, for instance, any documents missing from your application. A written decision on your application will also be sent to you by post.

Alternatively, you can complete and print out the application form for the conscript's allowance Sotilasavustus (SA1 in Finnish, PDF). Mail your application along with the supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.

If, after you were granted housing assistance, you get for example an electric bill for which you need assistance, complete a new claim online and submit the bill along with your claim.

Kela obtains salary information from the national incomes register. Kela uses this data when processing claims and applications. You will be contacted if additional information is required. However, please note that you must notify Kela of any changes in your income.

Who can claim conscript’s allowance

  • Housing assistance is claimed by the conscript. However, if the conscript has an eligible family member, the family member should claim the housing assistance. The conscript cannot claim it on the family member’s behalf.
  • Assistance with the interest on student loans is claimed by the conscript and their family member. Each claims assistance for interest payments on their own loan.
  • Basic assistance and special assistance are claimed by the conscript’s family member.
  • Maintenance assistance is claimed for the conscript’s child. The claim should be signed by the person who has custody of the child.

Required documents

If you have filed the necessary documents already earlier for another benefit, such as general housing allowance or social assistance, you need not file the same documents again.

Keep the receipts and documented proof related to the application. When needed, we may ask for them later.

Housing assistance

  • Copy of your rental agreement if you are applying for assistance for a rental apartment.*
  • Copy of the specification of the maintenance charge if you are applying for assistance for a unit in a housing cooperative.
  • Copy of the agreement confirmed by the place of service and the person performing non-military service, stating the housing arrangements for the work service period.

*If your landlord has an arrangement with Kela to provide rent information electronically, you need not include with your claim a copy of your rental agreement or a statement about the amount of the rent. List of landlords who provide rent information to Kela electronically.

Basic assistance

Kela obtains the necessary salary information from the national incomes register.

Special assistance

Kela obtains the necessary salary information from the national incomes register.

Maintenance assistance

Copy of the maintenance agreement, unless the child receives child maintenance allowance.

When to claim

You can submit your claim one month before you will enter service. The claim cannot be submitted earlier than that because of the possibility that your circumstances could change before you enter service. Claims for conscript’s allowance cannot be backdated, which means that Kela can grant the allowance at the earliest from the beginning of the month when you submit the claim.

If you are applying for conscript’s allowance for other costs than rent, maintenance charge and interest payments on housing loans (for instance electricity, water, heating and waste management bills), you should apply for allowance for these costs at the latest in the month when the service ends.

If you are applying for assistance towards interest payments on student loans, you should apply for it no later than the month that the interest is due. For example, if you apply for the assistance for student loan interest payments starting in January, the application must arrive in Kela in January.

File a separate application for each interest payment that falls due.

Conscript’s allowance may only be granted for interest payments that are due while you are in service.

Learn more about conscript’s allowance for student loan interest payments.

Granting the conscript's allowance

Kela can grant the conscript’s allowance starting from the date of entry into service (though not before the beginning of the month in which the claim was submitted). Conscript’s allowance is payable until the end of the month in which the conscript is discharged or the service is interrupted for at least 14 days.

If eligibility arises during the service, Kela can grant the conscript’s allowance starting from the first day of eligibility.

If a person in refresher training for reservists or in supplementary training is entitled to the conscript's allowance, Kela can pay it all at once after the training either to the person or their family member.

Kela sends the data on conscript’s allowances paid out to the national incomes register within five days of the date of payment.

Report changes in your circumstances

Remember to report any changes in your circumstances to Kela so that the benefit can be paid correctly. Payment of the allowance can be affected by such events as changes in income or housing costs or the birth of a child. You can report the changes online, by telephone or in person at any Kela customer service point.

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Last modified 16/3/2024