Decision notices on basic social assistance have been sent out with insufficient instructions for making a rectification request

Because of a technical error, some of the decision notices on basic social assistance issued by Kela have been sent out without specific instructions on how the customer can ask for the decision to be changed, i.e. make a rectification request. The instructions appended with the decision notice did not, for example, include the date by which the customer must submit a rectification request to Kela. The instructions included only the addresses to which the customer can submit the request.

The incomplete instructions were sent to some 7,000 customers who received a decision notice on basic social assistance between 17 March and 22 March 2024.

The mistake was noticed at Kela last Thursday, and it was corrected immediately. Kela regrets the inconvenience to the customers who received incomplete instructions. 

Customers do not need to contact Kela because of the incomplete instructions. Customers who think that the decision they received from Kela about basic social assistance is wrong are advised to contact Kela to explain what they consider wrong and ask Kela to re-examine the decision. Decisions can be re-examined at Kela if they contain obvious errors or if they have been made on the basis of insufficient information. Having the case re-examined by Kela is quicker than filing a rectification request. If the decision cannot be corrected at Kela, the customer can make a rectification request.

Customers can make a rectification request even if they received incomplete instructions for doing so. If necessary, customers who received incomplete instructions can request a complete copy of the instructions by calling Kela or by visiting one of Kela’s customer service points. The period of appeal does not start until the customer has received the correct instructions for making a rectification request. 

Most customers have received the correct instructions for making a rectification request with their decision notice to begin with. The instructions are correct if they include the date by which the customer must submit a rectification request to Kela. 

Read more 

• Call Kela 
• Visit Kela 
• How to appeal a decision on social assistance