Basic Social Assistance and Sociodemographic Factors Among Working-Age Contractual Informal Caregivers
Abstract
In Finland, informal care is not only a common form of helping relatives but also an official form of social service. The study explored how common basic social assistance is among caregivers and investigated the associations between the receipt of basic social assistance and sociodemographic and health-related background factors and the duration of caregiving among caregivers and matched controls. A nationally representative dataset was compiled from the registers of Keva, Kela, and Statistics Finland. It included individuals aged 20–64 residing in mainland Finland who acted as informal caregivers under a formal care contract throughout the year 2018 (N=15,329), as well as matched controls (N=30,658) based on age, gender, and municipality of residence. The data were analyzed using cross tabulations and logistic regression models, with receipt of basic social assistance as the outcome variable.
The results showed that contractual informal caregivers were more likely to receive basic social assistance in 2018 than their matched controls. The
relative likelihood of receiving social assistance was highest among caregivers aged 20–29, those residing in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, and those in a marital or registered partnership. A caregiving duration of more than five years was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving social assistance. The higher rate of social assistance among caregivers may reflect both insufficient income and disproportionately high expenses of the household. Care responsibilities may limit time available for paid work, reducing earnings, and individuals in more vulnerable positions may be more likely to become caregivers. Caring for a sick or disabled relative may also incur additional costs. Furthermore, caregivers’ own health may deteriorate, leading to sick leave or increased medical expenses.
Full text (in Finnish) (julkari.fi)
Authors
Päivi Tillman, Jenni Blomgren
Additional Information
- Peer-Reviewed: yes.
- Open Access: yes.
- Cite as: Tillman, P., & Blomgren, J. (2026). Työikäisten sopimusomaishoitajien perustoimeentulotuen saanti ja siihen yhteydessä olevat sosiodemografiset tekijät, Yhteiskuntapolitiikka, 91(1), 5–17. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026021112642
