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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.

17.2.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a proposal to amend the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and employment of women with an immigrant background and to implement the so‑called Norwegian model for child home care allowance, in line with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Petter Orpo.

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.

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.

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.

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...

23.9.2024 | As outlined in the Programme of Petteri Orpo’s Government, the Government will implement a central government productivity programme to support the Government’s objective for sustainable public finances.

16.4.2024 | The Government reached an agreement on the future of the network of hospitals and urgent and emergency health services in its spending limits session. It decided that changes would be made to night-time emergency care services in primary healthcare and to specialised healthcare in certain hospitals. The aim is to balance public expenditure and respond to the shortage of healthcare personnel.

8.9.2023 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft bill that proposes amendments to the Act on General Housing Allowance. The proposed amendments would concern lowering the reimbursement rate of the allowance, tightening the effect of the income that affects the allowance, and abolishing the earned income allowance and the support for owner-occupied housing.

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.

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.

15.6.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior request comments on the draft government proposal concerning the health and social services reform and the organisation of rescue services. The act would lay down provisions on, for example the organisation of rescue services, and the system of management and coordination as well as development and oversight of rescue services.

5.6.2020 | The Government wants to secure the financing of unemployment benefits under the emergency conditions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

13.7.2023 | The Government Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo contains a number of entries on legislation related to the mandate of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The entries concern, for example, the organisation of healthcare and social welfare services, benefits and pensions.

4.9.2023 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft bill that aims to simplify the unemployment security system and increase employment. The proposed amendments would concern the prior work requirement for employees to be entitled to unemployment benefits, the adjusted unemployment benefit, the starting date of the right to receive unemployment benefits, and the child increments to unemployment benefits.

26.10.2020 | As part of the preparation of the health and social services reform, an exercise will be carried out to establish cooperation between the central government and the future wellbeing services counties. This will be done during the negotiations designed to provide the counties with guidance and direction. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will hold the negotiations with the counties between 27 October and 4 December.

25.3.2020 | Försöksprojekt med personlig budgetering för personer med funktionsnedsättning 2020–2021 Projekthandbok Statsminister Sanna Marins regering gör ett försöksprojekt med personlig budgetering för personer med funktionsnedsättning. I projektet utveckl...

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.

5.6.2020 | On 5 June, the Government published its policy on the reform of rescue services. The Government proposes that the responsibility for organising rescue services would rest with health and social services counties and the City of Helsinki. Rescue services would continue to be a separate sector working in parallel with the healthcare and social welfare sector.

15.6.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior request comments on the draft government proposal concerning the health and social services reform and the organisation of rescue services from the municipalities and joint municipal authorities of mainland Finland and other parties mentioned in the request for comments. The deadline for submitting comments is 25 September 2020.

19.12.2018 | Economy and Gender Equality in the Nordic Countries A Selection of Good Nordic Practices This fact sheet focuses on one of the most challenging areas of gender equality in the Nordic countries: economy and gender. The Nordic countries score high o...

10.12.2018 | Economy and Gender Equality in the Nordic Countries A Selection of Good Nordic Practices This fact sheet focuses on one of the most challenging areas of gender equality in the Nordic countries: economy and gender. The Nordic countries score high o...

10.12.2019 | The Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on gender equality and occupational safety and health at the last meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council under Finland’s Presidency on 10 December. The meeting was chaired by Minister of Employment Timo Harakka.

19.12.2018 | #norden2020 In connection with the Finnish Presidency 2016 of the Nordic Council of Ministers, separate Nordic project funds were granted in order to raise themes that Finland wanted to highlight in the frame of Nordic co-operation. One of these p...

11.6.2020 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT | Snellmaninkatu 1 A, Helsinki, PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland Prime Minister Marin’s Government decides basis for health and social services reform The Government has finalised the policy outlines for the health and so...

13.12.2018 | The Government is proposing a new Act on Client Charges in Health and Social Services that would apply to health and social services organised by counties. In future, only service charges provided by the Act on Client Charges in Health and Social Services could be collected from clients.

21.12.2016 | On 21 December, the Government published a draft of the legislation detailing how customers will be able to select from among the health and social services that are within the scope of freedom of choice. The legislation aims to ensure that freedom of choice will increase the customer's possibilities of exerting influence, speed up access to services as well as improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of services.

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.

29.12.2016 | Both upper secondary and higher education students will be transferred under the general housing allowance on 1 August 2017. Student housing supplement under the current student financial aid system will still be available to students studying abroad and to students attending fee-based studies in a folk high school, a sports institute or the Sámi Education Institute and living in the school dormitory.

22.12.2016 | On 21 December, the Government published a bill concerning the customer's freedom of choice with regard to social and health services, as well as the changes made to the Government's draft proposal on the health, social services and regional government reform after it has been circulated for comments. The legislative package concerning provision of health and social services will go to Parliament...