Reminder from Kela that unemployment benefits are paid in two instalments in May

Kela has received a lot of calls from customers who are worried about their unemployment benefit payments. 

Kela began paying a new benefit called the general social security benefit (yleistuki) to the unemployed as of 1 May 2026. At the same time, the old benefits labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance were discontinued. This change has affected the payment of unemployment benefits in May.  

In May, unemployment benefits will be paid to customers in two instalments. The first instalment consists of labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance granted until 30 April 2026. The second instalment consists of general social security benefit granted as of 1 May 2026.  

Payment details for general social security benefit are shown in OmaKela with a delay 

Once a customer has completed their unemployment status report in OmaKela, they will at first only see information about the payment of labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance. This has worried many customers, because the amount shown is smaller than usual. Information about the payment of general social security benefit can be seen in OmaKela a few days after the customer has completed their unemployment status report. 

Another thing that has worried customers is that the confirmation message for the unemployment status report shows a smaller amount of benefit than usual. 

“Until the end of May, the confirmation message will only include information on the labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance you will get and not your general social security benefit. This is due to technical reasons,” says Sarita Alarotu, Head of Kela’s Centre for Unemployment Benefits. “There is no need for customers to worry.” 

The amount of general social security benefit is the same as the labour market subsidy and the basic unemployment allowance 

The first instalments of general social security benefit were paid out to customers on 6 May. The basic amount of the general social security benefit is EUR 37.21 per day (about EUR 800 per month), which is the same as the old benefits, labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance. 

However, the general social security benefit is subject to means testing, which may affect the amount of the benefit if the applicant has income other than wages or salary. Means testing means that capital income and other income that is not wages or salary, such as informal care allowance, dividends and rental income, will affect the amount of general social security benefit the customer can get. 

The general social security benefit is a new unemployment benefit from Kela that has replaced the previously paid basic unemployment allowance and labour market subsidy as of 1 May 2026.  General social security benefit is paid to unemployed persons who do not qualify for earnings-related unemployment allowance or who have used up the full amount of their earnings-related unemployment allowance. Approximately 240,000 people now receive general social security benefit.  

Read more

• Frequently asked questions about the general social security benefit (kela.fi) 

• General social security benefit during unemployment (kela.fi) 

• Calculator for the general social security benefit (kela.fi) 
• General social security benefit to be introduced in May – how the change will affect you (Kela press release 5 March 2026)

• General social security benefit for the unemployed introduced on 1 May – means testing to apply more widely than before (Kela press release 8 April 2026)