Basic amount of social assistance to be reduced for everyone aged 18 or over as of 1 March

The basic amount of social assistance will be reduced for all adults aged 18 or over as of 1 March 2026. The basic amount of persons aged 18 or over who are living alone or living with their parents will be cut by 3% and the basic amount of other customers aged 18 or over by 2%. For example, if you are 18 or over and you live alone, your basic amount will be almost EUR 18 per month less than before.

Change in the basic amount of social assistance

Applicant or family member	Basic amount before 1 March EUR per month	Basic amount after 1 March	EUR per month
Person living alone	596.32	578.43	–17.89
Person aged 18 or over living in a shared household	506.87	497.45	–9.42
Single parent	679.80	665.19	–14.61
Person aged 18 or over living with their parent(s)	435.31	422.25	–13.06
Child aged 10–17, oldest sibling	417.42	417.63	+0.21
Child aged 10–17, second oldest sibling	387.61	388.70	+1.09
Child aged 10–17, third oldest sibling and every subsequent sibling, each	357.79	359.78	+1.99
Child under 10, oldest sibling	375.68	375.98	+0.30
Child under 10, second oldest sibling	345.87	347.06	+1.19
Child under 10, third oldest sibling and every subsequent sibling, each	316.05	318.14	+2.09

Aim of the reform to improve the employment rate and boost public finances

The reform of social assistance is included in the Government Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government. The purpose of the reform is to reduce long-term dependency on social assistance and to clarify its status as a last-resort form of assistance intended for those who need help and support in order to achieve a life of human dignity.

The reform has introduced stricter obligations to apply for benefits that take precedence over social assistance (primary benefits) and to look for full-time work at the risk of a reduction to the basic amount of one’s social assistance. As such, one of the goals of the reform is to enable Kela to instruct customers who rely solely on social assistance to apply for the primary benefits they may have the right to, and generally to direct these customers to the services they need.

However, the reform also seeks to improve the employment rate and boost public finances. The goal is for the reform to help reduce social assistance expenditure by EUR 70 million.

More information for customers

• Stricter criteria for social assistance as of February – what does it mean for customers?
• Social assistance
• What is the basic amount?