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General housing allowance
General housing allowance is Kela's support for rent or other housing costs when the household's income is low. It is available for rented, part-ownership and right-of-occupancy homes. Since the start of 2025 it has not been paid for owner-occupied homes.
Tukihaku asks only what is needed and fills in the Kela form for you. Application help costs 1.99 €, and the first calculation is free.
Fill in the application Find out which benefits you can getWho can get general housing allowance?
- A low-income household living permanently in Finland. A household means the people living in the same home, for example spouses and children.
- Unemployed people, employees and families with children can also get the allowance. Students usually apply for the housing supplement of student financial aid instead, and pensioners have their own benefit, the housing allowance for pensioners.
- Flatmates are usually separate households if each has their own tenancy agreement.
How much general housing allowance can you get in 2026 and 2027?
The allowance is 70 % of acceptable housing costs above the basic deductible. The deductible grows with income. Acceptable housing costs have an upper limit that depends on the municipality and household size: for example about 563 € a month for a person living alone in Helsinki. The calculator gives an estimate for your situation. According to Kela, the criteria stay the same in 2027.
Estimate your housing allowance with the calculator
How do you apply for general housing allowance?
- Fill in Kela form AT 1 or apply in OmaKela.
- Report the household members, income and housing costs. Kela gets wage information from the Incomes Register.
- The allowance is reviewed once a year or when income or housing costs change.
When should you apply?
The allowance can be paid at the earliest from the start of the month before the application arrives, so apply as soon as the need arises.
What attachments are needed?
- Tenancy agreement, unless the landlord sends the details to Kela electronically
- For a part-ownership or right-of-occupancy home, a statement of the rent or right-of-occupancy charge
- A statement of income that is not in the Incomes Register
Frequently asked questions
Can a student get general housing allowance?
Usually not. Since August 2025, students receiving student financial aid have applied for the housing supplement of student financial aid instead. You can get general housing allowance, for example, if you live with your own or your partner's child or get another benefit instead of student financial aid.
Does my flatmate's income affect my allowance?
No, if you have separate tenancy agreements. A joint tenancy agreement usually makes you one household, and both incomes count.
How much is the deductible?
The basic deductible depends on the household's income and size. With a low income there is no deductible at all.
Tukihaku asks only what is needed and fills in the Kela form for you. Application help costs 1.99 €, and the first calculation is free.
Fill in the application Find out which benefits you can getSee also
- I moved to Finland – which Kela benefits can I get?You can usually get Kela benefits from the day you move, if you live in Finland permanently or work here.
- Student financial aidStudent financial aid consists of the study grant, the housing supplement and the government guarantee for student loans.
- General social security benefit for unemploymentGeneral social security benefit is Kela's benefit for unemployed people who do not get earnings-related allowance from an unemployment fund.
- Basic social assistanceSocial assistance is the last-resort benefit when income and assets are not enough for essential expenses such as food, rent and medicines.
This page is also available in Finnish. Suomeksi.
Official information: kela.fi.