22/4/2024Social assistance can be granted for reasonable housing costs – Kela does not ask anyone to moveRecently, many customers have contacted Kela to ask if they have to move out of their current home if the housing costs exceed the maximum limits acceptable for the purposes of social assistance. Kela does not ask anyone to move, but social assistance does not necessarily cover all housing costs if the costs exceed the maximum limit set for the municipality.Press release19/4/2024Kela recovered EUR 117 million in benefits in 2023In 2023, Kela recovered EUR 117 million in benefits that had been overpaid or paid to customers not entitled to benefit payments. At the end of the year, Kela still had recoverable benefits totalling more than EUR 137 million. Press release16/4/2024Kela releases 2024 edition of maternity package – quality and safety main criteria for productsThe 2024 edition of the maternity package contains 39 products. This year, quality has once again been the most important criterion when procuring products. Kela will start distributing the 2024 edition when stocks of the 2023 edition run out.Press release11/4/2024Families receiving private day care allowance must notify Kela of any changes in summertime child care arrangementsParents who receive private day care allowance payments must notify Kela of any changes in their child care arrangements during the summer or early autumn. Such changes may be relevant to the payment of the allowance. The notification can be made conveniently in the OmaKela e-service.Press release10/4/2024Kela to trial removing personal signatures from basic social assistance decisionsKela has started a trial in which customers applying for basic social assistance will be issued decisions that do not feature the name of the claims determination specialist who finalised the decision. Long in planning, the trial will not impact the service provided to customers or the appeal process.Press release9/4/2024Procurement planning of interpreter services for persons with disabilities nearly complete – customer feedback collected by surveyTo support the procurement planning that began in autumn 2023, Kela has sent a survey to customers of interpreter services for persons with disabilities and arranged a market dialogue. The procurement process is expected to start in April.Press release5/4/2024Students should return overpaid financial aid by the end of AprilStudents who want to voluntarily repay student financial aid for 2023 must do so by the end of April. If a student does not repay the overpaid financial aid by the end of April, Kela will recover the amount increased by 7.5%.Press release4/4/2024Modernisation of Kela benefit administration systems moves forward into negotiation phaseKela is modernising the information systems it uses for benefit administration and is now starting negotiations with suppliers.Press release3/4/2024Press release27/3/2024Decision notices on basic social assistance have been sent out with insufficient instructions for making a rectification requestSome of the decision notices on basic social assistance issued by Kela between 17 March and 22 March 2024 carry insufficient instructions for making a rectification request. Some 7,000 customers have received insufficient instructions. The error has been corrected on 22 March 2024. Press release26/3/2024Information leaflet on changes to benefits available for customer guidance in several different languagesOn 1 April 2024, cuts will be made to the general housing allowance and unemployment benefits available from Kela. The benefits of around half a million customers will be affected. Our new information leaflets provide information on the changes in several languages.Press release26/3/2024Kela’s services are back to operating normallyThe technical problem affecting Kela’s services has been resolved and the services are now back to operating normally. The problem first occurred on 25 March and it partially prevented the use of Kela’s services. Because of this, the wait times for Kela's phone service may be longer than usual. The technical problem did not affect the payment of benefits.Press release26/3/2024Child benefit to be increased for children under the age of threeThe child benefit paid for children under the age of three has been increased by EUR 26 per month. Payment of the increased rate will begin with the child benefit payments for April. No action is required from customers, as Kela will apply the increase automatically.Press release25/3/20241.4.2024 benefit changes spare pensioners' housing allowance and child benefits from cutsThe housing allowances for pensioners will not be affected by the impending cuts in social security benefits. There will also be no reductions in child benefits. The cuts in social security coming into effect on 1 April 2024 will affect general housing allowances and unemployment benefits. Press release25/3/2024Easter affects Kela’s opening hours and payment schedulesBecause of Easter, unemployment status reports are filed and unemployment benefits paid earlier than usual. Customers whose application and supporting documents arrive at Kela by 15 March 2024 will have their social assistance payment deposited into their account before Easter. On Holy Thursday, 28 March 2024, regular customer service will be available until 13.00, while service for customers with an urgent need of social assistance will be available until 16.00.Press release19/3/2024Kela e-service now available in SámiKela has launched the first Sámi-language version of the OmaKela e-service. It is now possible to apply for some benefits and send supporting documents in the Sámi-language MuKela or MuuKela e-service. Press release18/3/2024Press release18/3/2024Cuts in general housing allowances and unemployment benefits will impact around 500,000 of Kela’s customers starting from 1 April 2024Several cuts will be made in April to the general housing allowances and unemployment benefits available from Kela. The benefits of around half a million customers will be affected. The cuts made to the unemployment benefits will reduce benefits right away in April. General housing allowances will be reduced when next reviewed, which will take place no later than March 2025. Press release6/3/2024Press release6/3/2024Press release12345…9page 1/9