Haku

Income security A central feature of welfare and social security is to provide support to people in vulnerable situations. Legislation » Legislation concerning income security. Financial assistance for families with children » There are various fo...

Social security reform Social security will be reformed during the ongoing parliamentary term through government projects and the work of the Social Security Committee. The aim of the social security reform is to make the social security system sm...

General social security benefit The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing a general social security benefit. The benefit would include a basic allowance for living, an allowance for housing costs and a discretionary allowance as last-...

Finnish social security system The Finnish social security system includes benefits and support that protect people’s livelihoods, as well as the provision of health and social services and employment services. Social security provides income secu...

Appealing income security decisions The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health does not process requests for a review, objections or complaints. Instead, it drafts legislation on appeal boards and this way ensures the legal protection of people whe...

Immigrants' social security, welfare and health The MSAH is responsible for matters concerning the welfare and health of immigrants living in Finland. The Ministry deals with the basic security of immigrants, essential social and health services i...

15.1.2026 | In the first stage, the general social security benefit will be a new social security benefit for unemployed jobseekers, replacing the existing labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance. The legislation on the general social security benefit is scheduled to enter into force on 1 May 2026.

Unemployment security Shortly Unemployment security consists of basic unemployment allowance, earnings-related unemployment allowance and labour market subsidy. You are eligible for benefits if you meet the prior work requirement and register as a...

Legislation concerning income security The Finnish Constitution guarantees the right of all people living in Finland to Adequate social and health services Basic income security Essential subsistence and care. There is a range of legislation gover...

22.9.2025 | The Government has submitted a proposal to Parliament for an act on general social security benefit. In the first stage, the general social security benefit would be a new social security benefit for unemployed jobseekers, replacing labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance. The legislation concerning the general social security benefit is scheduled to enter into force on 1 May 2026.

22.9.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has today published three memorandums assessing the combined impacts of the Government’s changes to social security during this parliamentary term. The memorandums focus particularly on the impacts of the comprehensive reform of social assistance.

14.4.2026 | Sosiaaliturvakomitean arviointi- ja selvitysryhmä Selvitys yhdestä perusturvaetuudesta Näkökulmina rahoitus ja suhde ansioturvaan SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2026:1 Selvitys yhdestä perusturvaetuudesta Näkökulmina rahoitus ja suhde ansioturva...

The 11th annual Gender Equality Days (Tasa-arvopäivät) were organised on 8-9 October 2025 at the Clarion Hotel Aviapolis in Vantaa. 

16.4.2026 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal would implement the Norwegian model for child home care allowance. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and labour market position of women with an immigrant background and to increase the participation of children in early childhood education and care.

9.5.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft government proposal concerning the general social security benefit by 19 June 2025. This is the first stage of the extensive social security reform where different basic social security benefits will be gradually combined into a single general social security benefit.

9.4.2026 | The Government is proposing changes aimed at preventing intentional misuse of social security, reducing incorrect social security payments and improving information exchange with Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.

17.1.2022 | The Social Security Committee started its preparations for a social security reform by identifying problems in the current social security system and by describing its choices and basic principles. The results of this work are now published in five reports compiled by the committee’s five divisions. 

Social assistance Shortly Social assistance is a last-resort form of social security that secures the essential livelihood for an individual or a family when they cannot support themselves with other income or assets. It is a means-tested benefit,...

Support and benefits The Finnish social protection system includes various forms of financial support and benefits designed to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to take part in working life and society in general. Children and parentho...

10.12.2024 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Timeout Foundation are hosting a series of 25 Timeout dialogues to discuss the future of social security. The aim is to increase public debate on social security, strengthen dialogue between various parties, increase citizens’ participation in the social security reform, and produce information to support decision-making.

International examples to help Finland create governance model for wellbeing economy 4.12.2025 8.46 The economy of wellbeing offers tools for policy makers to secure the preconditions for a good life both for the current population and future gene...

16.3.2023 | The Social Security Committee’s interim report was published on Thursday 16 March 2023. The report includes 31 proposals for reforming social security under future governments and the policy guidelines for the Committee’s work during its second term.

10.1.2023 | Different ways of organising social security have been examined as part of the preparation of the social security reform. The report on alternative ways of organising social security, which was made by a working group consisting of researchers and experts, was published on Tuesday 10 January 2023.

Statutory insurance A significant part of social security in Finland is provided through statutory insurances. This package is called social insurance. The insurance-based forms of social security include earnings-related pension, occupational acc...

Conscripts allowance and other armed service benefits The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning conscripts allowance. Conscripts and civilian servicemen as well as their family...

The Ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH) is one of the 12 ministries in the Government. The Ministry's tasks promote the good health and functional capacity of people promote healthy living and working environments secure suff...

fi sv en Overall project description The projects to improve the effective utilization of personalised medicines are linked to former Government’s key project of strengthening competitiveness. In the General Government Fiscal Plan, the Government ...

Key areas of participation and inclusion The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health works to strengthen inclusion and social wellbeing and to reduce inequality. Social exclusion and poverty are prevented by strengthening people’s inclusion and abil...

Drug policy Finland makes use of social policy, national legislation and international agreements to prevent the demand and supply of drugs reduce the harm caused by drugs ensure that people with drug problems receive treatment as early as possibl...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s assessment of the combined impacts of government proposals, taking into account fundamental and human rights. The assessment memorandums are prepared annually as part of official duties and published in the Government Project Register Hankeikkuna.

Työryhmän tehtävänä oli valmistella hallituksen esitys siitä, miten toimeentulotuen kokonaisuudistukselle eduskunnan lausumissa ja pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallituksen hallitusohjelmakirjauksissa asetettuihin tavoitteisiin voitaisiin päästä. Työryhmä päätyi esittämään johtopäätöksensä loppumuistion muodossa.

Further information fi sv en Drug Development Centre to promote competitive development of drugs Finland has competitive basic medical research of high quality that has the potential of developing new medicinal products. However, so far commercial...

26.3.2024 | Finland’s social security reform aims to streamline and simplify the social security system and to introduce more incentives for work. During this parliamentary term, the social security reform will include both government projects and the work of the Social Security Committee.

Healthcare and social welfare system and responsibilities Finland’s healthcare and social welfare system is founded on public healthcare and social welfare services funded from tax revenue. Alongside the public sector, private companies provide he...

Healthcare and social welfare system and responsibilities Finland’s healthcare and social welfare system is founded on public healthcare and social welfare services funded from tax revenue. Alongside the public sector, private companies provide he...

Nordic cooperation Nordic cooperation involves Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The vision of the Nordic countries is to make the Nordic region the most sustainable and integrated region in the wor...

Roma policy in Finland The overall objective of Finland’s National Roma Policy is to promote the inclusion, participation and equality of the Roma in different spheres of life. The policy programme is a comprehensive action plan, prepared in coope...

19.10.2023 | The Government decided on 19 October 2023 to change the composition and duties of the Social Security Committee for the remainder of the Committee’s term.

17.9.2020 | The Social Security Committee, which started work in spring 2020, will first determine which social security problems it will seek to solve. Before the summer holidays, the Committee outlined four sets of key social security problems: 1) the complexity of social security; 2) combining employment and social security; 3) minimum social security, basic social security and housing; and 4) coordination of services and benefits.

Nanoverkoston tehtävänä on: 1) valmistella nanoteknologian hyödyntämiseen liittyviä turvallisuuskysymyksiä; 2) arvioida valtioneuvoston nanoteknologiaa koskevien yhteisten linjausten tarpeita lähivuosiksi; 3) tiedottaa nanoteknologian sovelluksista ja turvallisuudesta hallinnon, tutkimus- ja kehittämistoiminnan sekä kansalaisten tarpeita silmällä pitäen; sekä 4) valmistella ehdotuksia tarvittavasta nanoteknologiaan liittyvästä yhteistyöstä ja sen organisoinnista.

Value chain for pharmacotherapy Pharmaceuticals-related development, research and innovations The facilitation of research and development of pharmaceuticals is a requirement for new pharmaceutical innovations. It is characteristic of the pharmace...

The Government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin will implement the Future Health and Social Services Centres programme. The programme will develop primary health and social services: their availability will be improved and the services will be coordinated to meet people’s needs

Health and social services for people arriving from Ukraine On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a military attack against Ukraine. Finland is committed to helping people who have fled the war in Ukraine to Finland, also with respect to healthcare...

According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree on the prescription of medicines (1088/2010), special attention must be given to the safety of pharmaceuticals.

15.1.2026 | The changes to be made to social assistance will, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The overall reform of social assistance aims to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

Frequently asked questions about the Act on Secondary Use of Health and Social Data Usein kysyttyä: The law mentions the primary and secondary use of customer data. What is the difference between these two concepts? The primary use of customer dat...

Toteutetaan pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelmakirjaukset, joiden mukaisesti uudistetaan apteekkisääntelyä vastuullisesti ja asteittain turvaten laadukkaat ja turvalliset apteekkipalvelut koko Suomessa.

17.6.2020 | The purpose of the temporary compensation is to support the most vulnerable persons and families who have incurred extra costs as a result of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus epidemic.

13.12.2023 | The parliamentary Social Security Committee will meet for the first time during its second term on Thursday 14 December 2023.

Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön yhteydessä toimii valtakunnallinen toimeentulotukiasioiden neuvottelukunta, jonka tehtävänä on seurata toimeentulotukiasioiden soveltamiskäytäntöä ja viranomaisten välistä yhteistyötä sekä tehdä esityksiä toimeentulotukea koskevista asioista.

Data Protection Contact information Data Protection Officer Data Protection Officer Lassi Kauttonen The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Department for Communities and Functional Capacity tietosuojavastaava.stm(at)gov.fi Controller The Minis...

5.1.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health invites comments on the integration support. The comments should be submitted by 16 February 2026.

20.5.2020 | The Social Security Committee has started its work by mapping problems associated with social security. The Committee’s parliamentary members have been asked to provide their initial views on the main social security problems that the Committee should seek to solve. Thus, we are not trying to solve the problems yet, but to define the problems to be solved.

Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults Categories: Publication date: 22.12.2025 The timing and content of health checks at child health clinics and schools, and in student healthcare and oral healthcare will be regulate...

Sote-uudistuksen johtoryhmän tehtävänä on johtaa uudistuksen virkavalmistelua ja koordinoida valmistelutyötä.

Hankkeen tarkoituksena on toteuttaa EU:n eurooppalaista terveysdata-avaruusasetusta (EHDS) täydentävä sääntely sosiaali- ja terveystietojen toissijaisesta käytöstä annettuun lakiin (toisiolaki, 552/2019) ja eräisiin muihin lakeihin.

Uudistetaan lapseen kohdistuneen seksuaali- ja pahoinpitelyrikoksen selvittämisen järjestämisestä annettu laki (1009/2008). Hallitusohjelman mukaan lapseen kohdistuvan seksuaaliväkivallan tapauksissa varmistetaan lapsen edun mukainen tutkinta ja monialainen tuki eri viranomaisten yhteistyönä.

Valtioneuvoston asetuksella ehdotetaan säädettäväksi hallituksen esityksessä 116/2025 vp ehdotetussa toimeentulotuesta annetun lain 2 a §:n 3 momentissa tarkoitetun toiminnan olennaisuuden vaatimuksen täyttymisestä eräillä aloilla.

Korona-tiedonhallintaratkaisujen ohjausryhmä STM053:00/2020 Development Basic information Completed Project number STM053:00/2020 Case numbers VN/10058/2020 Set by Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Term/schedule 14.5.2020 – 31.5.2022 Date of a...

24.2.2022 | The need for hospital care has remained at a high but stable level. It is recommended that everyone aged 18 years or over take a third vaccine dose. The epidemiological situation is still serious. For that reason, the focus will be on people’s own measures to prevent the spread of infections as the restrictions are eased.

Pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelman mukaisesti ehkäistään sosiaaliturvan väärinkäytöksiä ja edistetään Kelan ja muiden viranomaisten välistä tiedonvaihtoa sekä Kelan tiedonsaantioikeuksia.

20.2.2020 | Committee work brings facts and contradictions into the open. Specifying different perspectives and values serves as a model even for other societal discussions.

Kansaneläkelaitoksen soveltamien etuuslakien menettelytapasäännöksiä yhtenäistettäisiin. Sovitellun työttömyysetuuden määrää koskevaa säännöstä selkeytettäisiin. Työttömyyskassalakia muutettaisiin siten, että sen soveltaminen 1.5.26 alkaen vastaisi 30.4.26 saakka voimassa olevaa säännöstä yrittäjäkassan maksamien etuuksien rahoituksesta.

Hallitus selvittää Uudenmaan, pääkaupunkiseudun tai Helsingin alueen erillisratkaisun yhteistyössä alueen kaupunkien ja kuntien kanssa vuoden 2019 loppuun mennessä. Työskentelyä varten nimitetään erillisselvityksen ohjausryhmä sekä seurantaryhmä. Ryhmien jäsenet näkyvissä asettamispäätöksessä (löytyy asiakirjaliitteistä).

12.10.2023 | The Government has submitted to Parliament a proposal aimed at reforming unemployment security to provide more incentives for work. The proposed amendments concern the prior work requirement for an employee to be entitled to unemployment benefit, the adjusted unemployment benefit, the starting date of the right to receive unemployment benefit, and the child increments to unemployment benefits.

22.9.2025 | The Government proposes a comprehensive reform of social assistance. The changes to be made would, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The aim is to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

Hankkeessa selkiytetään sote-alan tutkimustoimintaa koskevaa lainsäädäntöä kartoittamalla nykysääntelyyn liittyvät korjaus-, muutos- ja yhteensovittamistarpeet sekä toteuttamalla niiden edellyttämät toimenpiteet.

Pääministeri Orpon hallituksen hallitusohjelmakirjauksen mukaan hallitus selvittää mahdollisuuksia parantaa lapsen asemaa vaikeissa erotilanteissa ja oikeusprosessissa. Hallituksen julkisen talouden suunnitelmaan on kirjattu, että elatustukea uudistetaan tarkistamalla elatustuen tasoa säännöllisin väliajoin vanhempien tulotietojen perusteella.

5.6.2020 | The proposal aims to strengthen the financial position of people in need of unemployment security in a situation where many have become unemployed or have been laid off.

17.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft government proposal that seeks to prevent intentional misuse of social welfare benefits, reduce incorrect social welfare payments and promote information exchange with the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Statements may be submitted until 28 January 2026.

Services and benefits for old people Shortly Social security for older people consists of healthcare and social welfare services and income security. The responsibility for organising these services lies with wellbeing services counties, which ass...

Esityksellä toteutettaisiin Kanta-lääkityslistan 3. vaiheen asiakokonaisuuksia. Reseptikeskuksen tietosisältöön ehdotetaan lisättäväksi eräät lääkehoitoon liittyvät merkinnät. Sosiaalihuollon palveluantajien tiedonsaantioikeutta lääkityslistaan laajennettaisiin ja säädettäisiin liittymisvelvollisuudesta reseptikeskukseen.

Toteutetaan pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelmakirjaukset apteekkitalouden kokonaisuudistuksesta. Uudistuksella tavoitellaan 30 miljoonan euron vuosittaisia säästöjä julkiseen talouteen.

Kotoutumistukea ja työmarkkinatuen kielilisää valmistelevan työryhmän tehtävänä on valmistella lainsäädäntötoimia, joilla toteutetaan pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallituksen kotoutumistukea ja kielilisää koskevia hallitusohjelmakirjauksia.

Healthcare and social welfare for undocumented persons When it comes to the organisation of healthcare and social welfare, it should be noted that there are people residing both legally and illegally in Finland who are usually referred to as undoc...

Disability pension Disability pension is paid to a person who is unable to earn an income because of an illness or disability. Disability pension is one of the benefits in both the national pension scheme and the earnings-related pension scheme. D...

Suomen tartuntatautilainsäädäntö uudistetaan vuosien 2023–2025 aikana. Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö asettaa hankkeelle ohjausryhmän sekä valmistelutyöryhmän. Tavoitteena on tehostaa tartuntatautien torjuntaa sekä vahvistaa varautumista epidemioihin ja pandemioihin.

22.9.2025 | The Finnish Government proposes EUR 14.8 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 0.5 billion less than in the 2025 Budget.

Government branch The administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health includes several independent institutions and agencies, which implement the ministry’s objectives in society and participate in Government Programme projects....

Services to families Services aimed at families support parents or other guardians in their efforts to ensure the well-being and good upbringing of children. Early childhood education and care Finnish early childhood education and care combines ed...

Social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for Finland’s social policy and prepares legislation on social welfare. Social welfare covers promoting social security and wellbeing and taking care of social welfare duties...

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

17.12.2021 | The Social Security Committee has identified the main problem areas of the current social security system and issues now 18 positions for reforming the system.

The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies.

Pääministeri Orpon hallituksen hallitusohjelmakirjauksen hallitus toteuttaa toimeentulotuen kokonaisuudistuksen, joka vähentää pitkäaikaista toimeentulotukiriippuvuutta ja selkiyttää toimeentulotuen roolia viimesijaisena harkintaa vaativana perusturvaan kuuluvana rahaetuutena.

31.10.2025 | Healthcare and social welfare 2040 vision Views and proposals of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health officials regarding needs for changes to the healthcare and social welfare service system Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi In “Healthcare an...

4.12.2019 | Perusturvaetuuksiin eli vähimmäismääräiseen kuntoutusrahaan, sairaus- ja vanhempainpäivärahaan sekä työttömyysturvan peruspäivärahaan ja työmarkkinatukeen tehdään tasokorotus 1.1.2020 alkaen. Korotuksen määrä on 20 euroa kuukaudessa.

9.4.2020 | Employers are now in a situation where they have to adjust their operations as the demand is weakening due to the coronavirus epidemic. The livelihood of employees will be strengthened as many of them are facing unemployment or layoffs.

5.12.2025 | 1 Classified as ECDC NORMAL Appendix 10 - Country follow-up to ECDC PHEPA recommendations Following the PHEPA mission conducted in your country, the final ECDC assessment report includes a series of recommendations aiming at supporting your countr...

9.4.2026 | 1 ADI-ROM(2025)26 Restricted Strasbourg, 9 March 2026 COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA AND TRAVELLER1 ISSUES (ADI-ROM) 13th meeting Strasbourg, 1-2 April 2026 Explanatory Memorandum Recommendation to the member States on desegregation and inclusion po...

16.12.2016 | The research group working on the basic income experiment proposes its implementation in multiple stages. According to the group, this would be the most reliable way of learning more about the basic income. It would also enable the further development of study designs and provide the information needed to revamp the Finnish social security system to meet future needs.

Sosiaali- ja terveystietojen toissijaisesta käytöstä annettua lakia (toisiolaki, 552/2019) korjataan hallitusohjelman mukaisesti.

Hallituksen esitykseen kootaan sote-uudistuksesta johtuvat muuhun lainsäädäntöön tehtävät tekniset muutokset.

Pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelman mukaan hallitus toteuttaa perusturvan uudistuksen, joka parantaa työnteon kannattavuutta, sujuvoittaa sosiaaliturvaa ja yksinkertaistaa etuuksia sosiaaliturvakomitean välimietinnön tekemät suositukset ja selvitykset huomioiden. Uudistuksen tavoitteena on aikaansaada yksi yleistuki.

13.2.2026 | Together Against Cancer – Human-Centred Cancer Prevention and Care National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Finland National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Contents Summary 3 Strategic objectives 5 Current situation and operating environment 6 Cancer in Finl...

23.9.2024 | The Finnish Government proposes about EUR 15.2 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch for 2025. This is about EUR 1.1 billion less than in 2024.

2.4.2020 | The proposed amendments are intended to improve the financial position of persons in need of unemployment security in the difficult economic situation caused by the coronavirus epidemic.

10.1.2023 | SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2023:1 Vaihtoehtoisten järjestämistapojen selvitystyöryhmä Selvitys sosiaaliturvan vaihtoehtoisista järjestämistavoista Selvitys sosiaaliturvan vaihtoehtoisista järjestämistavoista Vaihtoehtoisten järjestämistapoje...

16.5.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on the comprehensive reform of the Social Assistance Act by 27 June 2025. The amendments to the Act would strengthen, for example, the obligations of recipients to apply for primary benefits and full-time work. The aim is to reinforce the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance and to strengthen general government finances.

22.2.2022 | Sosiaaliturvan valinnat ja perusperiaatteet Sosiaaliturvakomitean raportti SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2022:5 Sosiaaliturvan valinnat ja perusperiaatteet Sosiaaliturvakomitean raportti Sosiaaliturvakomitean tutkimus- ja arviointijaosto Sosiaa...