Social assistance for the extra food expenses caused by coeliac disease will soon be available to low-income individuals

Parliament has approved a change in the social assistance scheme. Social assistance is paid by Kela. As from March 2025, an amount of EUR 38 per month can be recognised as the additional cost of a coeliac diet for recipients of social assistance. This amount will apply to each family member with coeliac disease who is 16 or older. In this context, family member means all those who have received a joint decision on social assistance.

According to benefits manager Marja-Leena Valkonen of Kela, the age limit has to do with the fact that children under 16 already now have a right to assistance with coeliac-related costs under the disability allowance scheme for persons under 16 years of age.

Social assistance towards the extra expenses caused by coeliac disease is only available to those who have a proper diagnosis. Applications must be accompanied by information showing that the applicant has been diagnosed with coeliac disease. This can be for example a medical certificate or case summary stating that antibodies were detected in a blood test or that an intestinal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.

“Customers who have already submitted proof of coeliac diagnosis to , for example in connection with an earlier application for dietary grant or disability allowance for a child under 16, do not have to submit new proof with their application for social assistance”, Valkonen says.

Aimed at low-income households - an estimated 3,000 customers are eligible

The purpose of the new rule is to offer financial assistance to social assistance recipients with coeliac disease.

Marja-Leena Valkonen says that the change puts them on a more equal footing with other recipients of social assistance, and adds:

“However, the new benefit is not another type of dietary grant but part of social assistance, the last-resort form of public assistance. It is therefore targeted at low-income households. About 3,000 people are estimated to have a right to social assistance for the costs of following a coeliac diet.”

Kela determines whether an applicant has a right to social assistance by calculating all of the income available to them and their household and comparing their income against their expenses. If acceptable expenses exceed income and assets, the balance is paid as social assistance. An amount of EUR 38 representing the cost of following a coeliac diet will now be recognised as an acceptable expense. This is a fixed sum that cannot be adjusted even if one has sales receipts or other proof of payment for their purchases. Learn more about qualifying for social assistance.

Kela recommends customers to estimate whether they could have a right to social assistance before submitting an application. One way to do an estimate is to use the social assistance calculator.

Additional information

• Government’s Proposal 133/2024 vp, in Finnish and in Swedish (eduskunta.fi)
• Types of expenses for which you can get basic social assistance (kela.fi)
• Changes to social security benefits (kela.fi)