Update on the coronavirus situation

This page contains concise information on how the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) affects Kela’s benefits and services. During the epidemic, there may be delays in the processing of applications. The page will be updated as the situation evolves.

Reimbursement for the costs for face masks
The benefits you can get in different situations
Temporary compensation due to an epidemic outbreak for basic social assistance clients
Application and supporting documentation
When are decisions due?
Recovery of overpayments
Press releases

How should you handle Kela-matters during the epidemic?

We recommend handling your matters online and by phone. By phone you can get personal advice and can conduct your business just as if you were visiting a customer service point. If needed, you can book a phone appointment.

Reimbursement for the costs for face masks

According to the recommendation on the use of face masks, everyone should obtain the face masks themselves. If a recommendation on the use of face masks is in force in the municipality, the municipal authorities must make sure that those in the most vulnerable position get face masks free of charge.

Kela does not pay any separate reimbursement to cover the costs for face masks. The costs for face masks are included in the basic amount of the social assistance.

The benefits you can get in different situations

The physician responsible for infectious disease control has ordered me into quarantine

You can receive infectious disease allowance to compensate for the loss of income, if the physician responsible for infectious disease control in the municipality or hospital district has ordered

you into isolation or quarantine
your child aged under 16 years to stay at home to prevent the spreading of an infectious disease.

You cannot receive infectious disease allowance if you have followed the Government’s recommendation to stay in conditions equivalent to quarantine.

The infectious disease allowance is paid to the employer insofar as the employer has paid a wage or salary for the time of absence from work.

Certificates needed: Certificate on quarantine from the physician responsible for infectious disease control in the municipality or hospital district. For persons in an employment relationship, also needed is a certificate from the employer verifying the loss of income, i.e. the wage that you would have earned if you had not been ordered into quarantine or isolation.

Read more about the infectious disease allowance

I have fallen ill but I have not been tested for the corona virus

If you have fallen ill and a physician has determined that you are incapable of work, you can apply for sickness allowance. If you are in an employment relationship, your employer will apply for the sickness allowance for the period for which the employer pays you wages.

If you have fallen ill with a coronavirus infection, you can apply for infectious disease allowance. Please note that an order from the physician responsible for infectious disease control in the municipality or hospital district is needed.

Certificates needed: You need a medical certificate to qualify for sickness allowance.

Temporary compensation due to an epidemic outbreak for basic social assistance clients

The purpose of the temporary compensation is to support the most vulnerable persons and families who have incurred extra costs as a result of the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Kela grants compensation due to an epidemic outbreak automatically to all clients who are entitled to it. It is thus not necessary to apply for the compensation separately.

The compensation will be paid for four months (September to December 2020). The temporary compensation can be granted to persons who have received basic social assistance for part of the time or for the whole time that the restrictions due to the coronavirus epidemic have been in force, 1 March - 31 July 2020.

Application and supporting documentation

If possible, send your applications and supporting documents online.

Documents photographed with a phone are accepted if the picture is clear and legible.
Online you can also see if any supporting documents are missing or if the application must be supplemented in some other way.
If information is missing from your application or if you are expected to do something, we will contact you. Remember to state a phone number where you can be reached.

You can also send applications to Kela by mail to the address

Kansaneläkelaitos
PL 10
00056 KELA

The application forms can be printed from Kela’s website.

If you do not have a device or Internet connection of your own, you can call Kela’s telephone service.

When are decisions due?

Online you can check up to date information about average application processing times per benefit.

For information about the processing of your application, sign in to Kela’s online service (available in Finnish or Swedish).

Kela’s customer service can help you with filling in or completing your application. The customer service does not have more exact information about when you will get a decision to your application.

Recovery of overpayments

Kela and the customer can agree that the recovery of overpaid benefits or guaranteed student loan debt is suspended. The recovery can be suspended by 6 months if you experience economic hardship because of the exceptional situation caused by the coronavirus outbreak. However, the recovery of child support debt cannot be suspended.

If you would like the recovery process to be suspended temporarily, you must ask for it by 31 December 2020. After the temporary suspension is over, you will continue to pay back the debt as agreed with Kela’s Overpayment Recovery Centre.

Overpayment Recovery Centre

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