Livelihood and social security of conscripts
The project investigates the livelihood of conscripts and the use of social security benefits by conscript's allowance recipients before military service, during it and after discharge from service. The project consists of two parts. The first part focuses on conscripts’ sources of income, such as the daily allowance, earned income, savings, conscript’s allowance, support from family and loans, and how conscripts perceive their livelihood. In addition, we examine how income and related factors are linked to the length of service and the choices made during service. The data used is a survey aimed at conscripts.
The second part of the project focuses on the use of social security benefits by conscript’s allowance recipients before and after service. The benefits examined include study benefits, unemployment allowance, sickness allowance and social assistance. The project provides new information, as there is no previous research on conscripts’ use of social security. The examination of the benefit paths helps to understand how discharge from service or discontinuation of service is linked to studying, unemployment and other life situations.
The research questions of the project are as follows:
- What sources make up conscripts’ income?
- How do conscripts perceive their livelihood?
- How does perceived livelihood relate to the length of service and the choices made?
- What kind of benefit paths do conscripts’ allowance recipients have before and after service?
- What kind of benefit paths do those who have discontinued their service have?
Researchers
- Lauri Mäkinen, vastuututkija
- Hennamari Mikkola
- Mikko Niemelä
- Jukka I Hänninen
- Mikko Kaivola
Project Implementation Period
1.2.2026–31.7.2027
Privacy statement (in Finnish)
Partners
The Finnish Defence Forces(Opens in a new tab) (www.puolustusvoimat.fi, Defence Command Finland)
