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Housing costs for which you can get general housing allowance

You can get housing allowance for a rental, owner-occupied, right-of-occupancy or part-ownership home. The home must be located in Finland and be suitable for permanent habitation.

The housing allowance is not available for all types of housing costs. Instead, so-called acceptable housing costs are defined for each type of housing. For example in a rented home, this includes the rent and any charges paid separately for water and heating. The size of the home is not relevant.

See what types of costs are accepted in different types of housing.

The general housing allowance will decrease in 2024

Parliament has approved cuts to the general housing allowance, which will reduce the rates of the allowance in 2024. Most of the changes will come into effect on 1 April 2024. If you already receive general housing allowance, these cuts will affect your allowance when your allowance is reviewed on 1 April 2024 or later. General housing allowance will no longer be available for owner-occupied homes as of 1 January 2025.

Read more about the changes to the general housing allowance.

When you move into a rental apartment, you are usually required to post a security deposit for a few months or to pay rent in advance. If all of the income and assets available to you are not enough to cover the deposit, you can apply to Kela for basic social assistance.

Learn more about rental security deposits and basic social assistance.

Maximum housing costs

The maximum amount of housing costs based on which you can get housing allowance is also specified by law. That amount is referred to as maximum housing costs and is proportional to

  • the number of adults and children in the household
  • the municipality in which the home is located.

You get housing allowance up to the amount of the maximum housing costs even if your actual costs are higher.

Finnish municipalities are divided into categories according to the cost of living there.

These categories will change on 1 April 2024. After that, the maximum housing costs recognised for those living in Helsinki will be lower than before. This may affect the housing allowance for those living in Helsinki.

As of 1 April 2024, the new municipal categories are:

  • Municipalities in category I: Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa
  • Municipalities in category II: Hyvinkää, Hämeenlinna, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Järvenpää, Kajaani, Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Kouvola, Kuopio, Lahti, Lappeenranta, Lohja, Mikkeli, Nokia, Nurmijärvi, Oulu, Pori, Porvoo, Raisio, Riihimäki, Rovaniemi, Seinäjoki, Sipoo, Siuntio, Tampere, Turku, Tuusula, Vaasa and Vihti
  • Municipalities in category III: other municipalities
  • The municipalities in the Åland Islands.

Maximum acceptable housing costs from 1 April 2024

Select the municipality in which the home is located

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 563 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 808 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 1,019 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 1,188 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 1,188 + EUR 148 per month for each additional person is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum acceptable housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 447 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 652 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 828 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 981 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 981 + EUR 134 per month for each additional person is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum acceptable housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 394 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 574 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 734 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 875 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 875 + EUR 129 per month for each additional person is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum acceptable housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 517 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 756 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 958 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 1,135 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 1,135 + EUR 155 per month for each additional person is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum acceptable housing costs.

Maximum acceptable housing costs until 31 March 2024

Select the municipality in which the home is located

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 582 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 843 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 1,072 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 1,253 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 1,253 + EUR 156 per month for each additional person is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 563 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 808 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 1,019 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 1,188 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 1,188 + EUR 148 per month is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 447 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 652 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 828 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 981 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 981 + EUR 134 per month is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 394 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 574 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 734 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 875 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 875 + EUR 129 per month is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum housing costs.

If the household consists of

  • 1 person, EUR 470 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 2 persons, EUR 687 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 3 persons, EUR 871 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • 4 persons, EUR 1,032 per month is accepted as housing costs
  • more than 4 persons, EUR 1,032 + EUR 141 per month is accepted as housing costs.

If one of the household members is disabled and needs a particularly large amount of space on account of assistive devices or an outside caregiver, such a household member counts as two persons for the purpose of determining the amount of maximum housing costs.

Examples of maximum housing costs

Maija lives alone in a rented flat in Helsinki. She pays EUR 800 per month in rent. Up to EUR 563 per month can be accepted as housing costs for a person living alone in Helsinki. This means that EUR 563 is used as the basis of calculating her housing allowance. The allowance is not calculated on the basis of her rent (800 euros).

Tommi and Pauliina live together in a rented flat located in Turku. They pay EUR 750 per month in rent. Because Tommi and Pauliina are a couple, they are part of the same household and get general housing allowance as a couple. Up to EUR 652 per month can be accepted as the housing costs of a 2-person household living in Turku. This means that 652 euros is used as the basis of calculating the housing allowance for Tommi and Pauliina. It is not calculated on the basis of the rent they pay (750 euros).

Last modified 18/3/2024