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10.12.2025 | Vahvat rahataidot lapsiperheille – VaRa-intervention satunnaistettu kontrolloitu tutkimus VaRa VN/10969/2024 VÄLIRAPORTTI 25.9.2025 Dosentti Anniina Kaittila, VTT Katri Viitasalo Turun yliopisto, Sosiaalitieteiden laitos, Invest tutkimusyksikkö sa...

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...

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...

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...

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

Earnings-related pension Earnings-related pension is paid to a person who has accrued pension according to his or her earnings either in an employment relationship or as an entrepreneur. The size of the earnings-related pension is determined accor...

Guarantee pension Guarantee pension is a minimum pension from which the other pensions paid to the pension recipient are deducted from in full. The full amount of the guarantee pension in 2019 is EUR 784,52 per month. Provisions on guarantee pensi...

28.1.2022 | MUISTIO 19.11.2021 1(34) Sosiaaliturvan menojen ja rahoituksen kuvaus sosiaaliturvakomitealle Tutkimus- ja arviointijaosto 2(34) Sisällys Sosiaaliturvan menot ja rahoitus: yleiskatsaus 3 Sosiaaliturvan menot ja rahoitus tilastojen valossa 3 Sosiaa...

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-...

Survivors’ pension When a death occurs in a family, the income of the widow and the children is secured with a survivors’ pension, which can be a spouse’s pension or an orphan’s pension. The purpose of the survivors’ pension under the earnings-rel...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

Social security for athletes, grant recipients and students Social security and pensions is provided under special arrangements in the case of certain professional groups: Athletes Pension and accident insurenace is compulsory until the age of 65 ...

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...

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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...

National pension National pension can be paid to a person covered by the Finnish social security system who does not receive any earnings-related pension or whose earnings-related pension is small. Provisions on national pension are laid down in l...

Family benefits The purpose of the benefit system for children and families is to safeguard the subsistence of the child and those responsible for his or her care, and to support the care of the child. The benefits are applied for at the Social In...

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...

Unemployment security In brief Unemployment security consists of a general social security benefit and an earnings-related unemployment allowance. In order to be eligible for unemployment security, you must register with the employment authority a...

Sign up for news by The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health You can sign up for news by the The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and receive them in your e-mail. Select the kind of news and topics you wish to follow. You will be sent a conf...

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...

International Labour Organization ILO ILO, the International Labour Organization, sets labour standards through conventions and recommendations, and monitors and supports its member states in their application. The Ministry of Social Affairs and H...

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...

Areas of experties The administrative sector of the MSAH is wide ranging. The Ministry's work is supported by expertise from all agencies and institutes throughout the sector. Promotion of welfare » Social and health services » Income security » I...

Pensions The Finnish pension system is an important element in providing income security in old age the event of work incapacity in the event of the death of a breadwinner The MSAH is responsible for preparing pension legislation. Pension security...

Sickness and rehabilitation All people living in Finland are included within the scope of sickness insurance. Sickness insurance provides reimbursements for loss of earnings and costs of rehabilitation. Sickness (Kela) Sickness allowance Paid to 1...

Legislation on health and social services In Finland, the state's responsibility to promote welfare, health and security is rooted in the Constitution. This enshrines the right of everyone to income and to care, if they are unable to manage adequa...

Welfare and health promotion The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health supports the welfare of people in Finland via social and health services and by ensuring income security. Legislation » Many areas of health legislation enhance welfare...

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...

Insurance-related appeals A policy holder, who is unhappy with an insurance company's decision, should first take the matter up with a representative of their insurance company. Policy holders may request a statement from one of the following insu...

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 ...

Children, youth and families The MSAH is responsible for family policy as well as maintaining and developing the welfare of children, youth and families jointly with other ministries. The MSAH's scope of responsibility is particularly concerned wi...

Municipalities are responsible for promoting health and wellbeing.

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...

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...

Social insurance contribution Contributions in 2017–2026 Table: Social insurance contributions, % of salary. Employers 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Health insurance all employers 1,08 0,86 0,77 1,34 1,53 1,34 1,53 1,16 1,87 1,...

Services for older people Shortly Wellbeing services counties organise health and social services for older people. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities have published a quality recomme...

Equal pay Equal pay is a fundamental and human right. Under the Finnish Equality Act, people performing the same work or work of equal value must receive the same pay, irrespective of their gender. Reducing pay gaps is a central equality issue and...

Health and social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health sets the guidelines for developing health and social services, drafts the relevant legislation and guides the implementation of reforms. Legislation » Legislation on social and h...

Parties responsible for gambling policy The Lotteries Act, which is prepared by the Ministry of the Interior, governs gambling services. Under the Act, the primary objective of gambling policy is to prevent harm. The Programme of Prime Minister Pe...

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....

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

4.6.2026 | The Government is proposing a new type of integration assistance. The general social security benefit would be paid as integration assistance to immigrants registered as unemployed jobseekers who do not meet the prior work requirement or have lived in Finland for less than three years.

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...

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.

Frequently asked questions Why the family leave reform is needed? Currently, parents take family leave unevenly. This is especially detrimental to the position of women in the job market and their income, which has both short- and long-term effect...

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.

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...

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 - ...

Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laeiksi yleistukilain, työvoimapalveluiden järjestämisestä annetun lain sekä yleisistä kielitutkinnoista annetun lain muuttamisesta ESITYKSEN PÄÄASIALLINEN SISÄLTÖ Esityksessä ehdotetaan muutettaviksi yleistukilakia...

9.3.2026 | EU ministers will convene for a meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels on 9 March. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman will represent Finland at the meeting.

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...

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.

30.6.2022 | 1 Kohti tutkimusperustaista osallisuuden edistämistä nuorten aikuisten sosiaali- työssä (NuoriSO) Vastuututkija: Henna Pirskanen (Lapin yliopisto), muut toteuttajatahot: Sanni Tiitinen (Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu), Maija Mänttäri-van der Kuip (...

9.5.2022 | 1 Vuoden 2021 yliopistotasoisen sosiaalityön tutkimuksen hankehaku 17.5.2021 Taloussosiaalityö lapsiperheissä Lapsiperheiden talousosaamisen ja taloudellisen toimintakyvyn vahvistaminen taloussosiaalityön intervention avulla Dosentti Mia Hakovirta...

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.

12.2.2026 | The health status of people in Finland is in many respects better than the EU average, and the service system is fairly comprehensive. However, a recent country report by the OECD and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies indicates that access to care is not realised equally in Finland. In 2024, 12.4% of those who required medical care reported that they had not received the services they needed. The share is the second highest in the EU.

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.

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.

23.2.2022 | Ansiotyön ja sosiaaliturvan yhteensovittaminen Sosiaaliturvakomitean ongelmaraportti SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2022:2 Ansiotyön ja sosiaaliturvan yhteensovittaminen Sosiaaliturvakomitean ongelmaraportti Sosiaaliturvakomitean työllisyyden ja...

18.4.2023 | Lasten ja perheiden sosiaaliturvan nykytila, haasteet ja tulevaisuus Lasten ja perheiden sosiaaliturva ja palvelut -työryhmän loppuraportti SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2023:2 Lasten ja perheiden sosiaaliturvan nykytila, haasteet ja tulevaisuu...

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.

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.

22.2.2022 | Viimesijainen turva, perusturva ja asuminen Sosiaaliturvakomitean ongelmaraportti SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2022:3 Viimesijainen turva, perusturva ja asuminen Sosiaaliturvakomitean ongelmaraportti Sosiaaliturvakomitean asumisen jaosto sekä ...

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.

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

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.

26.9.2024 | Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen will attend a High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance in New York on 26 September 2024. Minister Grahn-Laasonen will deliver Finland’s address at the meeting, highlighting as a new theme the importance of the gender perspective in comprehensive antimicrobial resistance prevention.

10.4.2024 | On 9 April 2024, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health appointed a working group to prepare a package of measures to facilitate immigrant integration, and a language allowance for inclusion in labour market support, as outlined in the Government Programme.

29.1.2024 | A recent report compares Finns’ state of health and Finnish health services with other EU states and Nordic countries. Released by the European Commission, focus areas of the report include the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and mental health. Although Finland does well in many respects, there are challenges especially in the availability of health services.

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...

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.

29.8.2024 | Privacy policy – Gender Equality Barometer The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has commissioned Statistics Finland to carry out a survey on gender equality in Finland. The survey will provide information about perceived equality in different...

23.2.2022 | Palvelujen ja etuuksien yhteensovittaminen Sosiaaliturvakomitean ongelmaraportti SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2022:4 Palvelujen ja etuuksien yhteensovittaminen Sosiaaliturvakomitean ongelmaraportti Sosiaaliturvakomitean työ- ja toimintakykyjao...

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...

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...

25.4.2022 | The European Commission adopted an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child in spring 2021, recommending that Member States introduce a European Child Guarantee. The Child Guarantee seeks to support particularly vulnerable children and their families, and to help channel investment in child wellbeing. Finland is realising the Child Guarantee as part of work related to the National Child Strategy, which has aligned with policies of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child from the very outset.

18.4.2023 | 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...

8.2.2024 | 1 (4) Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Meritullinkatu 8, Helsinki | PO Box 33, FI-00023 Government, Finland +358 295 16001, stm.fi/en, @MSAH_News Privacy policy – Survey on discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy The Ministry of Social Aff...

10.11.2023 | MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND HEALTH AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF REPUBLIC OF FINLAND AND THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA CONCERNING PROMOTING ELECTRONIC ...

2.2.2023 | Finland has implemented tripartite Equal Pay Programmes for four government terms, but the need for them has not gone away. The pay gap between women and men has narrowed slowly. This information comes from an overall assessment of the Equal Pay Programme that was published today.

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. 

30.9.2022 | Various parties are currently reviewing the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization is preparing a new pandemic treaty to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. On 28 September, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health arranged a meeting for stakeholders to discuss the treaty negotiations.

8.7.2022 | Finland donated around 400,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to the people of Nicaragua. The donated doses arrived at their destination in early July. Finland is committed to international vaccine solidarity and places particular emphasis on the right of the most vulnerable people to receive COVID-19 vaccines.

2.2.2021 | The Global Risks Report  of the World Economic Forum includes extreme weather and climate action failure, infectious diseases and digital inequality in the list of world’s greatest threats in 2021. These issues also directly impact occupational safety and health (OSH). 

4.9.2020 | In recent weeks, there has been discussion about whether a full communicable disease allowance should be paid to people who may have been exposed to coronavirus because of their own actions. This type of situation may occur, for example, when people travel to countries where the coronavirus situation is worse than in Finland or when people attend public events.  

24.6.2024 | C O P E N H A G E N I N S T I T U T E F O R F U T U R E S S T U D I E S Future trends & opportunities in the health and well-being sector J U N E 2 0 2 4 P E T E R A A D A L N I E L S E N The Institute at a glance P A G E 3 CIFS is an independent,...

8.10.2020 | OECD’s research “Faces of Joblessness” identifies eight faces of joblessness in Finland. The research is acquired by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Kela. The results will give insight on the social security reform.