General housing allowance 2026: who gets it, how much and how to apply

Who can get general housing allowance

General housing allowance can be received by a low-income person permanently resident in Finland who pays rent, a right-of-occupancy payment or the costs of a part-ownership home. General housing allowance is not paid for an owner-occupied home.

Students do not usually get general housing allowance, as most receive the housing supplement of student financial aid. There are exceptions, for example when the student lives with a child. Pensioners have their own pensioner's housing allowance.

The household decides

The allowance is granted to a household, and only one person applies for it on behalf of the whole household. The household generally includes everyone permanently living in the same dwelling. Spouses and cohabiting partners always belong to the same household.

Flatmates belong to the same household if they have a joint lease. If each has their own lease, they are separate households and can apply for support separately. A subtenant is also usually a separate household.

How Kela calculates the amount of support

General housing allowance is 70% of the difference between the acceptable housing costs and the basic own share. Acceptable housing costs include rent and water and heating charges, though no more than the maximum amount according to the municipality and household size. A water charge of €20 per person per month is accepted.

The basic own liability depends on the household's gross income and the number of adults and children. The formula is 0.5 × [income − (667 + 94 × adults + 296 × children)]. If income is below this limit, there is no basic own liability. An allowance of less than 15 euros is not paid.

Maximum housing costs by municipality

Kela accepts housing costs only up to a maximum amount, even if the rent is higher. In the Helsinki metropolitan area the limit for one person is €563 per month. Municipality group 2 includes 24 cities, such as Tampere, Turku and Oulu.

Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen: 1 person 563 €, 2 people 808 €, 3 people 1 019 €, 4 people 1 188 €
Municipality group 2 (24 cities): 1 person €447, 2 persons €652, 3 persons €828, 4 persons €981
Other municipalities: 1 person 394 €, 2 persons 574 €, 3 persons 734 €, 4 persons 875 €
Each additional person raises the limit by 129–148 euros depending on the municipality group

Invoice example: a single person living in Turku

A person living alone pays rent of €600 a month and has gross income of €1,200 a month. In Turku the accepted maximum housing cost for one person is €447, so only that amount of the rent is taken into account.

The basic own liability is 0.5 × [1 200 − (667 + 94)] = 219,50 euros. The housing allowance is 0.7 × (447 − 219,50), or about 159 euros a month. With no income the allowance would be 0.7 × 447, or about 313 euros. You can calculate your own situation with Kela's housing allowance calculator.

Income and asset limit

Kela takes into account all gross income of the household, such as wages, holiday bonuses, entrepreneurial income, rental income and many Kela benefits. Child benefit, social assistance and student loans do not affect the allowance. Kela receives wage data from the Incomes Register.

General housing allowance has had an asset limit since 1 Jan 2025. In a one-adult household, 20% of net assets above €10,000 is counted as income, and in a household with several adults, 20% of net assets above €20,000. If assets are €50,000 or more, no allowance is paid. A €2,000 allowance for use is deducted from deposits for each household member. For example, ASP savings, your own summer cottage and a car are not assets.

How to apply and what to declare

Support is applied for in OmaKela or on paper form AT 1. A lease agreement is needed as an attachment if Kela does not receive it directly from the landlord. Support starts from the first day of the month, and retroactively it can be received for at most one month. Since May 2026, general housing allowance and the new general support can be applied for with the same online application.

The allowance is paid on the first banking day of the month and is tax-free. Notify Kela if the household's gross income rises by at least 400 euros or falls by at least 200 euros per month, and of any changes in the household's composition. Kela reviews the allowance at least once a year. You can find rent levels by municipality in Rental Radar.

Frequently asked questions

How much housing allowance can you get?

At most 70 % of eligible housing costs after the basic deductible. A single person with no income can receive about 394 € a month in Helsinki and about 313 € in Turku.

Can a student get general housing allowance?

Usually not. Most students receive the housing supplement of student financial aid, but a student living with a child, for example, may be eligible for general housing allowance.

Do savings affect housing allowance?

Yes. For a person living alone, assets of more than €10,000, and in a household of several adults more than €20,000, reduce the support, and from €50,000 upwards no support is paid.

When is housing allowance paid?

On the first banking day of the month, either to your own account or the landlord's account.

Rental Radar brings together the topic's figures, deadlines and services. Open Rental Radar →

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Sources

The article is general information and does not replace the guidance of an authority, a lawyer or an adviser. Check up-to-date information from the sources.