Recipients of basic social assistance 2017–
Data content
Recipients of basic social assistance paid out by Kela and their share of the population.
Included among recipients are persons living in a household that received a non-zero amount of social assistance in the reference period. The population share of recipients by region and age group is calculated on the basis of population data maintained by Kela.
The regional data are based on the principal municipality of residence of the members of the recipient's household. In the cumulative annual totals, each recipient is counted as a resident of all of the municipalities and regions in which they have lived during any month of the year, but only counts once towards the whole country totals.
The age group is based on the recipient's age at the end of the reference period.
The report also contains data on recipients of basic social assistance sorted by the percentage by which their basic amount has been reduced. The reduction of the basic amount always applies to a single recipient and does not affect the basic amounts of the other members of the same household.
The reduction percentages that can be applied to the basic amount are 20% and 40%. After 1 February 2026, a reduction of 50% is also possible. In the monthly totals, each recipient is counted under only one basic amount reduction percentage. In the cumulative annual totals, each recipient is counted under all reduction percentages that were registered for the recipient during the reference period.
Perspectives
Depending on the perspective selected, a different set of variables and classifications are presented. The perspectives are
- comparison by region
- time series
- basic amount reduction percentage.
Variables and classifications
- Reference period: Year, Current year, Month
- Time: The content presented depends on the selected reference period.
The default selection is the latest month. One or several periods can be selected for a single report. - Geographical focus: Whole country, Regions, Wellbeing services counties, Employment areas and Municipalities.
- Region: The content presented depends on the selected regional level.
One or several regions can be selected for a single report. - Age group: 0–17, 18–24, 25–64, 65–
Note
When the number of recipients in a municipality is 1–3, the data are not shown. These obscured data are presented as two dashes.
Recipient data categorised by reduction percentage are not presented at all at the municipal level.
Availability of statistics
Data available starting 1 January 2017.
Updating frequency
Updated on the 8th day of each month. Annual data are updated on 8 January.
Data source
A complete dataset sourced from the processing system for social assistance, Kela's payments management system and population data maintained by Kela.
Additional information
Contact information
Kela, Statistical Information Service
Email: tilastot@kela.fi
