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Housing allowance The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general planning, guidance and supervision of the housing allowance legislation. The Ministry of Education and Culture in turn is responsible for the housing supple...

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...

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...

Mental health services The aim of mental health work is to strengthen people's good mental health and to reduce factors that undermine it. This work includes activities to promote mental health and prevent mental health disorders, as well as menta...

Services and support for people with disabilities Persons with disabilities have the right to equality, inclusion, self-determination, independent living, non-discrimination and the necessary individual services and support. The principle is that ...

Private providers of health and social services, in other words companies, organisations and foundations, already account for about 22 per cent of the whole health and social services sector. They operate in both publicly and privately funded markets.

Social security and services for people applying for and receiving international protection in Finland People applying for international protection leave their home countries for various reasons, for example, to escape war, persecution or insecuri...

Legislation on services and benefits for older people This page lists the key pieces of legislation on services and benefits for older people. Below you will find them by topic and also links to more detailed guidance. Health and social services I...

Private providers of health and social services Private providers of health and social services, in other words companies, organisations and foundations, already account for about 22 per cent of the whole health and social services sector. They op...

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...

Substance abuse and addiction prevention Shortly The goal of substance abuse and addiction prevention is to reduce harm and promote health, wellbeing and safety. The wellbeing services counties organise substance abuse prevention and provide healt...

25.8.2022 | The second phase of the reform concerning services for older people will improve particularly services provided at home and housing services. The reform will, for the most part, enter into force on 1 January 2023 simultaneously with the health and social services reform. The amendments will also apply to other client groups of social services. 

9.12.2021 | The second phase of the reform concerning services for older people will proceed to Parliament for consideration. The reform aims to improve particularly the sufficiency and quality of services provided to older people at home. It will also expand the diversity of services.

12.10.2023 | The Government has submitted to Parliament a proposal for amending the Act on the General Housing Allowance. The proposed amendments 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.

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.

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.

17.9.2020 | The Government has submitted a proposal to Parliament regarding the reform of the Act on Client Charges in Health and Social Services. According to the proposal, more cost-free services will be introduced and client charges made more equitable. 

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...

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...

Income security A central feature of welfare and social security is to provide support to people in vulnerable situations. Legislation » Legislation concerning income security. Finnish social security system » The Finnish social security system in...

10.12.2025 | Sosiaalityöntekijöiden paikka ja saavutettavuus hyvinvointialueiden aikuissosiaalityössä AISAPA-hankkeesta (Sosiaalityöntekijöiden paikka ja saavutettavuus hyvinvointialueiden aikuissosiaalityössä 2023–2024) • Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön rahoi...

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-...

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,...

Whistleblower protection Whistleblower protection safeguards people who report certain types of misconduct. In this case, a ‘whistleblower’ is a person who, in the course of their work, discovers a breach of European Union or national law concerni...

Social lending Shortly The wellbeing services counties grant social loans. In Helsinki, the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division is responsible for social lending. If you would like to apply for a social loan, please contact t...

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...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen The National Coalition Party Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen is responsible for matters covered by the Department for Insurance and Social Secu...

Promoting inclusion strengthens social cohesion Inclusion means belonging to and being connected with communities and society. It is reflected, for example, in trust, equality and people’s opportunity to have a say in their own community and socie...

Read more about working at the ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health employs approximately 440 people. Their jobs vary from Assistant to Permanent Secretary and from Specialist to Ministerial Adviser. Tasks are challenging and versati...

Client charges in healthcare and social welfare The Government guides and directs the policy on client charges in healthcare and social welfare through legislation. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that the charges are kept at a reasonable l...

Preventing domestic and intimate partner violence The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for planning and guiding the prevention of domestic and family violence. The aim is to prevent violence and develop the nationwide service s...

Prevention of human trafficking The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health aims to prevent social problems caused by trafficking in human beings and to identify and help victims. The Ministry’s responsibilities include ensuring that victims of traf...

Rehabilitation The aim of rehabilitation is to enhance the individual's functional capacity, independent coping, opportunities for participation, work and study ability as well as their opportunities for employment and continuing working. Rehabili...

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

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 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...

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...

Department for Safety, Security and Health The Department for Safety, Security and Health handles issues pertaining to: organising environmental healthcare and health protection alcohol, tobacco and drug policy and the prevention of harm caused by...

20.12.2016 | A report by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health showed that private social service providers must improve their preparedness for example for storms and heat waves.

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...

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.

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...

Occupational accidents and occupational diseases The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning insurance against occupational accidents and diseases. The workers’ compensation insu...

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...

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.

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...

Kansallinen ikäohjelma vuoteen 2030 Tavoitteena ikäkyvykäs Suomi Periaatepäätös Valtioneuvosto, Helsinki 2022 Valtioneuvosto This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohi...

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.

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.

2.12.2016 | Urbanisation will continue, and health and social services will probably be increasingly concentrated in growth centres. To prevent regional differences from escalating, service solutions must be customised by region. Services in smaller communities can be guaranteed by leveraging new service concepts and with regional cooperation. Centralisation of hospital services will improve productivity and save on costs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 | 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.

27.2.2024 | Tutkimussuunnitelma Teemu Rantanen / 1 Vuoden 2023 yliopistotasoisen tutkimuksen hankehaku Tutkimussuunnitelma MONITOIMIJAINEN SOSIAALITYÖ VANKILASTA VAPAUTUVAN TUKENA DIGITALISOITUVASSA YHTEISKUNNASSA (VAPAA) 1 TARKOITUS JA TAVOITTEET 1.1 Tutkimu...

Nationellt åldersprogram fram till 2030 För ett ålderskunnigt Finland Principbeslut Statsrådet, Helsingfors 2022 Statsrådet This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohib...

5.12.2025 | Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 2024 Under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 ASSESSMENT ECDC ASSESSMENT Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 20...

9.5.2022 | 1 Vuoden 2021 yliopistotasoisen tutkimuksen hankehaku Hankkeen johtaja: Kirsi Juhila Hankkeen valmistellut tutkimusryhmä: Kirsi Juhila, Päivikki Kuoppakangas, Veera Niemi, Jenni Mäki, Johanna Ranta, Jarkko Rasinkangas, Jari Stenvall Hankkeen toteu...

23.9.2024 | The two memorandums published on 23 September 2024 assess the combined impacts of the changes to income security that the Government is preparing or implementing for the years 2024–2025.

Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laiksi lapsiin liittyvien rikosepäilyjen selvittämisessä avustavista terveydenhuollon yksiköistä ESITYKSEN PÄÄASIALLINEN SISÄLTÖ Esityksessä ehdotetaan säädettäväksi laki lapsiin liittyvien rikosepäilyjen selvittämi...

2.6.2023 | SUOMEN SÄÄDÖSKOKOELMAN SOPIMUS SARJA Julkaistu Helsingissä 31 päivänä toukokuuta 2016 (Suomen säädöskokoelman n:o 398/2016) Valtioneuvoston asetus 27/2016 vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksista tehdyn yleissopimuksen ja sen valinnaisen pöytäkir- jan v...

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.

23.11.2023 | The minimum staffing level for care personnel in units providing 24-hour care for older people will rise from the current minimum level of 0.65 employees per client to 0.7 employees per client on 1 January 2028. During the transition period, the service structure will be developed and a number of measures will be taken to improve the availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel. 

30.6.2022 | 1 Vuoden 2022 yliopistotasoisen tutkimuksen hankehaku Hankkeen johtaja: Suvi Raitakari ([email protected]) Hankkeen valmistellut tutkimusryhmä: Kirsi Juhila, Tuula Tuominen, Anne Saarijärvi ja Arto Rautajoki Hankkeen toteutuspaikat: Tampereen...

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. 

31.1.2023 | A working group appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes measures to end the use of tobacco and nicotine products in Finland by 2030. The group submitted its report to State Secretary Eila Mäkipää on Tuesday, 31 January 2023.

9.5.2022 | 1 KUNNALLINEN TOIMEENTULOTUKI EHKÄISEVÄN LASTENSUOJELUN VÄLINEENÄ 1. TARKOITUS JA TAVOITTEET 1.1. Tutkimuksen lähtökohdat Mitä enemmän kunnassa on sosiaalisissa riskitilanteissa eläviä kansalaisia (kuten työttömiä, matalasti koulutettuja ja epävak...

9.11.2022 | Kai Rinkinen from Rovaniemi, Jere Jokinen from Kerava and Janne Pihanperä from Masku were today awarded the Father of the Year Prize. The Prize was presented by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen

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.

9.5.2022 | 1 Research plan / Tutkimussuunnitelma Evidencing the Effectiveness of Health Social Work Assessment and Interventions Terveyssosiaalityön arvioinnin ja intervention vaikuttavuus näkyväksi (Sostyö-TerVa) 1. Aim and objectives 1.1 Significance of re...

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.

5.7.2024 | Pöytäkirja (1/4) 11.12.2023 VN/22236/2023 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 STATSRÅDET PB 23, 00023 Statsrådet vn.fi/sv Tfn 0295 16001 1(4) Pohjoisen alueen yhteistyöalueneuvottelu Aika: 11.12.2023 Paikka: kh. Meripaja...

5.7.2024 | Muistio (1/3) 12.12.2023 VN/22236/2023 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 STATSRÅDET PB 23, 00023 Statsrådet vn.fi/sv Tfn 0295 16001 1(3) Yhteistyöalueneuvottelu Sisä-Suomen YTA alue Aika: 12.12.2023, klo. 10 – 14.15 Pa...

Regeringens proposition till riksdagen med förslag till lag om hälso- och sjukvårdsenheter som bistår vid utredning av misstänkta brott som gäller barn PROPOSITIONENS HUVUDSAKLIGA INNEHÅLL I denna proposition föreslås det att det stiftas en lag om...

5.7.2024 | Alla mainittu asiakirja on allekirjoitettu X-SIGN sähköisen allekirjoituksen palvelussa. Prosessin tunnus on 49ee302f-3cbf-4f31-873b-3284b9be3164. Allekirjoitukset Allekirjoittaja TARMO ANTERO MARTIKAINEN Allekirjoitusaika 14.06.2024 20:59 Allekir...

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.

7.5.2020 | The Social Security Committee has started its first and perhaps most important task: defining the problems to be solved by the social security reform.

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.

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.

5.10.2023 | Protokoll (1/14) 15.2.2023 VN/1674/2023 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 STATSRÅDET PB 23, 00023 Statsrådet vn.fi/sv Tfn 0295 16001 1(14) Förhandlingar med Österbottens välfärdsområde PROTOKOLL Tid: 15.2.2023 kl. 9-12...

5.10.2023 | Protokoll (1/14) 15.2.2023 VN/1674/2023 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 STATSRÅDET PB 23, 00023 Statsrådet vn.fi/sv Tfn 0295 16001 1(14) Förhandlingar med Österbottens välfärdsområde PROTOKOLL Tid: 15.2.2023 kl. 9-12...

17.4.2020 | The economy is in crisis. Wellbeing is unevenly distributed and not everyone has equal opportunities in society. We are concerned about the state of the environment. The world of work is changing, and ageing of population will change the demographic structure. Now, if ever, is the time to talk about wellbeing broadly.

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.

18.1.2023 | The revised EU Drinking Water Directive has been implemented in Finnish national legislation through statutory amendments that took effect on 12 January 2023. These amendments concern a wide range of laws and regulations. The main goal of the reform is to safeguard the quality of water intended for human consumption and to provide more information on water quality.

1.3.2023 | Selvitys ja tutkimustoiminta Utrednings- och forskningsverksamhet Sosiaaliset perus- ja ihmisoikeudet sosiaaliturva- uudistuksessa Toomas Kotkas, Anna-Kaisa Tuovinen, Eeva Nykänen, Laura Kalliomaa-Puha VA LT I O N E U V O S T O N S E LV I T Y S - ...

6.3.2020 | En onödig eller ineffektiv digital tjänst irriterar, är tidskrävande, skapar frustration och kan ibland till och med orsaka skada. IKT-industrin och den kompetens inom informationshantering som krävs för det är fortfarande en ung bransch, vilket också märks i resultaten. Många digitala tjäns-ter fungerar inte som folk förväntar sig. I synnerhet social- och hälsovårdstjänster som påverkar människors hälsa och välfärd borde inte ha dåligt fungerande eller besvärliga digitala tjänster.

31.5.2018 | A working group, appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, proposes a road map for ending the use of tobacco and other nicotine products in Finland by 2030. It would mean that less than 5% of the adult population use tobacco and nicotine products daily. Reaching this goal, recorded in the Tobacco Act, requires that the future governments monitor and assess tobacco policy and develop new measures.

9.10.2020 | A People-centred Perspective on Employment Barriers and Policies FACES OF JOBLESSNESS IN FINLAND 2  This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of interna...

2.6.2023 | FINLANDS FÖRFATTNINGSSAMLINGS FÖRDRAGSSERIE Utgiven i Helsingfors den 31 maj 2016 (Finlands författningssamlings nr 398/2016) Statsrådets förordning 27/2016 om sättande i kraft av konventionen om rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsätt- ning...

8.6.2018 | International Talents – building a multicultural workplace. Case Tecnotree Corporation Jenni Fredriksson-Bass– 22.05.2018 22.5.2018 2 About Tecnotree ■ Tecnotree is one of the leading providers of integrated revenue and customer management (IRCM) ...

4.12.2019 | Tax-funded pensions of people receiving a small pension will be subject to a general increase and an index increase as of 1 January 2020. The full amount of the national pension will be raised by about EUR 34 and the full amount of the guarantee pension by EUR 50 per month. Approximately 609,000 pensioners with a total pension of less than EUR 1,200–1,300 per month will receive at least a small increase in their pension.

20.12.2018 | SEEKING AND SEIZING – THE NORDIC WAY NOVEMBER 2-3, 2017, HELSINKI BY PEER HULL KRISTENSEN (WITH KARI LILJA AND ELI MOEN) Civilizing business enterprises in the search for a new Nordic growth and development model Civilizing and de-civilizing busin...

8.6.2018 | Iceland‘s rise after the crisis and avenues for the future Gylfi Magnússon, University of Iceland Presentation May 22nd 2018 in Helsinki The Nordic Region – an attractive place for advanced businesses? Crisis of Autumn 2008 • The bulk of the finan...

11.6.2018 | Societal challenges as a driver for innovations - The Nordic Region – an attractive place for advanced businesses? Helsinki 2018-05-23 Göran Marklund Strategic Focus Sustainable Growth – Catalyzing virtuous cycles Attractive places for business! E...

29.11.2019 | The President of the Republic has appointed Outi Antila as Director General of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). She will take up the position on 1 January 2020, when the current Director General of Kela, Elli Aaltonen, will retire.

3.5.2018 | SILLAT – BROAR 26-27.9.2016: CALLS FOR ACTION AND PROPOSALS NORDBUK and the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland organized this youth conference. The main themes were young people's access to rights, social inclusion and well-being in the ...

30.6.2022 | KATA – Humanitaaristen katastrofien kohtaaminen, työmenetel- mät ja adaptiivinen hallinta sosiaalityössä Tutkimussuunnitelma 15.5.2022 KATA-tutkimusryhmä Prof. Sanna Hautala, Lapin yliopisto (LaY) 2 1. TUTKIMUSHANKKEEN TARKOITUS JA TAVOITTEET .......

1.11.2023 | VA LT I O N E U V O S T O N J U L K A I S U J A 2 0 2 3 : 2 6 vn.fi Sosiaaliturvakomitean välimietintö Sosiaaliturvakomitea Sosiaaliturvakomitean välimietintö Sosiaaliturvakomitea Valtioneuvosto Helsinki 2023 Valtioneuvoston julkaisuja 2023:26 Val...