Services for disabled war veterans

Home care services

On application, the State Treasury can grant municipalities appropriations for organising home care and other services. The municipality will carry out a service needs assessment for the disabled war veteran or disabled soldiers. Based on the assessment, the municipality will draft a care and service plan. The municipality will organise the services aiming to support living and coping at home or in service housing in a versatile manner.

Disabled war veterans and disabled soldiers may seek the following home care services from their home municipality:

• assistive devices
• help with running everyday errands
• meal services
• home care
• home medical care
• services supporting mobility
• laundry services
• day centre activities
• cleaning services
• janitorial services
• emergency phone services

The requirements for these services are

• a degree of disability of at least 10 % for disabled war veterans who were injured or fell ill due to the wars in 1939–1945.
• a degree of disability of at least 20 % for disabled soldiers who were injured or fell ill during military service or UN assignments before 1991.
• If the degree of disability falls below these limits, the disabled person may be entitled to services based on other legislation. Please contact their home municipality.

In addition, the State Treasury can provide increased hospital care supplement for continuous costs caused by home care.

Support for informal care

The municipality can support the disabled person by paying a support for informal care to the person caring for them. The carer must be close to the disabled person, but not necessarily a relative. In this case, the municipality will sign a contract with the person in charge of the care.

The eligibility for and extent of the support primarily depend on the amount, commitment, and difficulty of care required. The amount of support for informal care varies between municipalities.

The support for informal care is paid to the carer monthly, and it is subject to taxation. For further information on the support for informal care, please contact your home municipality.

Meal services in Sweden

The State Treasury can compensate the costs of one daily meal for a person who has been injured or fallen ill and is living in Sweden permanently. Starting on 1 January 2016, even persons living in Sweden who were injured or fell ill due to the wars in 1939–1945 and whose degree of disability is 10% are entitled to these services.

However, meal compensation is not paid for the duration of institutional rehabilitation or a treatment compensated for by the State Treasury which corresponds to institutional care or part-time institutional care.

The State Treasury will confirm the price of the compensated meals annually. The price follows the value confirmed in Swedish taxation for lunch benefit. In 2019, the lunch card value is 98 SEK per day.

Applying for meal services in Sweden

Disabled people living in Sweden must apply for the meal service from the State Treasury using a separate form. The application form for meal services in Sweden can be found on the Instructions, application forms tab.

In order to receive the service, the applicant must permit the State Treasury to send the necessary information to the Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland. The State Treasury will issue a payment commitment to those entitled to the meal service.

Supplying the meal service to the applicant

The Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland uses the Edenred lunch card system to supply the meal service, and sends the cards to those entitled to the compensation based on the information submitted by the applicant to the State Treasury.

The State Treasury will also compensate for other personal care and home and support services based on receipts.

Further information:
Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland, executive director Juha Joki, Box 5133, 121 17 Johanneshov, Sweden, tel. +46 705 630 373. Office tel.  +46 86 481 131

State Treasury: Tarja Wheeler, tel. +358 295 503 261

The State Treasury organises rehabilitation for disabled war veterans, their spouses, the spouses and widows of severely disabled war veterans, and war widows. Read more about the rehabilitation of spouses and widows on the Spouses, widows, children tab.

The rehabilitation can be carried out at a rehabilitation institution, physical care institution, or at home. The alternatives are

1. residential rehabilitation,
2. intensive outpatient rehabilitation,
3. outpatient rehabilitation, and
4. assisted rehabilitation at home.

Residential and intensive outpatient rehabilitation is organised at rehabilitation institutions 2020 (in Finnish) > approved by the State Treasury, such as nursing homes, rehabilitation institutions, and several spas. In intensive outpatient rehabilitation, the rehabilitee goes home for the night, but otherwise the contents are nearly the same as in residential rehabilitation.

Outpatient rehabilitation is issued by physical care institutions, rehabilitation institutions, spas, and nursing homes. Outpatient rehabilitation can also be carried out at the home of the rehabilitee. Outpatient rehabilitation can be carried out by service providers and self-employed professionals referred to in the Act on private health care (152/1990, in Finnish >).

Assisted rehabilitation at home is a form of outpatient rehabilitation carried out according to the model for assisted rehabilitation at home. Assisted rehabilitation at home can be organised by service providers who have an agreement with the State Treasury on producing the service. Assisted rehabilitation at home is also organised in certain municipalities.

Compensation of travel expenses

If the journey to rehabilitation is less than 200 kilometres, the travel expenses are compensated for public transportation, or if the disabled person’s health or poor transport connections between their home and the rehabilitation institution so requires, either by taxi or their own car or the car of a family member.

For journeys over 200 kilometres, the compensation is based on using the disabled person’s own car or the car of a family member. However, if the state of the disabled person’s health requires using a taxi, it can be compensated if a suitable institution is not available within less than 200 kilometres of their home, considering their health and ability to function.

When using the disabled person’s own car or the car of a family member, the compensation is half of the kilometre compensation confirmed by the Tax Administration, as valid at each time.

Rehabilitation for disabled war veterans

Rehabilitation is applied for from the State Treasury beforehand using the intended application form or a free-form application. A separate payment commitment from the State Treasury is not required if the service provider has been given permission from the State Treasury to invite their long-term residents to rehabilitation.

The duration of the rehabilitation period is defined according to the applicant’s degree of disability:

A degree of disability of 10–25%

A disabled person with a degree of disability of 10–25% is entitled to 14 days of residential rehabilitation annually.

If they wish, they can exchange the residential rehabilitation to:

• intensive outpatient rehabilitation (10 days) or
• outpatient rehabilitation (20 visits) or
• assisted rehabilitation at home (20 visits).

The disabled person can share their rehabilitation with their spouse at will.  In order to be able to share the rehabilitation, the disabled person must turn 65 no later than during the calendar year during which the rehabilitation period begins.

When sharing the rehabilitation period, the spouses can choose between

• either 10 days of residential rehabilitation
• or alternatively
  • 5 days of intensive outpatient rehabilitation,
  • 10 visits of outpatient rehabilitation, or
  • 10 visits of assisted rehabilitation at home.

The spouses can also choose different forms of rehabilitation.

The application forms are available on the Instructions, application forms tab.

A degree of disability of 30–100%

A disabled person with a degree of disability of 30–100% is entitled to four weeks of residential rehabilitation and 15 sessions of outpatient rehabilitation annually.

If they wish, they can exchange the residential rehabilitation to:

• intensive outpatient rehabilitation (20 days) or
• outpatient rehabilitation (two periods of 12 treatment sessions) or
• assisted rehabilitation at home (24 visits).

The disabled person can also exchange a period of 15 outpatient rehabilitation sessions to 15 visits of assisted rehabilitation at home.

If they wish, they can transfer part of their residential rehabilitation to their spouse. In order to be able to share the rehabilitation, the disabled person must turn 65 no later than during the calendar year during which the rehabilitation period begins. The State Treasury must be informed of sharing the rehabilitation in connection with the application for rehabilitation.

If the disabled war veteran transfers one week of their residential rehabilitation to their spouse, the spouse is entitled to one seven-day period of residential rehabilitation. The disabled person can then choose between 21 days of residential rehabilitation, 15 days of intensive outpatient rehabilitation, 18 visits of outpatient rehabilitation, or 18 visits of assisted rehabilitation at home.

If the disabled war veteran transfers two weeks of their residential rehabilitation to their spouse, both spouses can choose the best alternative from the following:

• residential rehabilitation (14 days)
• intensive outpatient rehabilitation (10 days)
• assisted rehabilitation at home (12 visits)
• outpatient rehabilitation (12 sessions of physical care)

A 15-session period of outpatient rehabilitation cannot be shared with a spouse.

The necessary application forms are available on the Instructions, application forms tab.

Rehabilitation for disabled war veterans living abroad

Disabled war veterans living abroad can receive rehabilitation either in their country of residence or in Finland. However, they can only receive rehabilitation in Finland if their health permits travelling.

Residential rehabilitation is available in Pärnu, Estonia, and in Sudbury and near Vancouver in Canada.

Intensive outpatient rehabilitation is available in Sudbury, Canada.

Outpatient rehabilitation (e.g. physical care) is available where the disabled person lives.

After the death of a disabled war veteran or disabled soldier, the State Treasury will pay the following types of compensation:

• funeral allowance
• assistance pension (see the Spouses, widows, children tab).

In addition, the State Treasury can pay the following types of means-tested compensation (see the Spouses, widows, children tab):

• supplementary assistance pension
• lump-sum compensation
• assistance pension to a remarried widow whose latter marriage has ended

Funeral allowance for the estate

The State Treasury will pay funeral allowance if the degree of disability of the deceased was at least 20%. If the death of the disabled person was caused by the compensated injury or illness, the funeral allowance is also paid after the death of a person with a degree of disability of less than 20%.

The funeral allowance sum is 3,009.81 euros in 2024.

Granting funeral allowance

The State Treasury will pay the funeral allowance to which the estate is entitled without separate application. The allowance will be paid to the same bank account to which the compensation for military injuries was paid. In this case, the State Treasury will send a notification of payment of the funeral allowance to the estate using the last home address of the deceased. The State Treasury will pay the funeral allowance to the estate without account of the expenses.

In order to expedite payment of the funeral allowance, the date of death of the disabled person should be reported to the Military injury and war veteran matters’ customer service as soon as possible, tel. +358 295 503 070.

The bank account listed in the information of the State Treasury should not be closed before the payment of the funeral allowance and any other compensations to which the estate is entitled.

A disabled person can be admitted to institutional care or part-time institutional care paid by the State Treasury if their state of health has deteriorated in a way that they cannot cope at home.

The requirement for these services is

• a degree of disability of 10% for disabled war veterans who were injured or fell ill due to the wars in 1939–1945, or
• a degree of disability of 20% for disabled soldiers who were injured or fell ill during military service or UN assignments before 1991.

Institutional care and part-time institutional care (day hospital care) for disabled persons

Institutional care can be granted in periods as necessary, to the maximum amount of 24 weeks per year to a disabled person with a degree of disability according to the Military Injuries Act of at least 10% (20% for disabled soldiers). The care is intended for disabled people who live at home and do not yet need permanent institutional care, but whose functional capacity is weakened to the extent that they need plenty of services or informal care in order to cope at home.

Part-time institutional care refers to a day hospital-like care where the disabled person spends the days at the institution and nights at home. The care is intended to be organised in periods, which allows using them to support coping at home as well as possible. This kind of periodic institutional care and part-time institutional care can be organised in nursing homes for disabled war veterans and in other medical facilities with which the State Treasury has signed an agreement on organising such services. The Act also applies to disabled war veterans who live in Sweden.

Where does the institutional care take place?

Further information on institutional care in Finland:

Tuulevi Sajankoski, tel. +358 295 503 247

Institutional care in nursing homes and special institutions

Institutional care in nursing homes and special institutions is applied using the State Treasury form on the Instructions, application forms tab.

Contact information for service providers of institutional care >

Institutional care is also available in Sweden. > see Institutional care in Sweden.

Municipal institutional care

For disabled war veterans with a degree of disability of at least 10% and disabled soldiers with a degree of disability of at least 20%, long-term institutional care in municipal and joint municipal authority hospitals, health centre inpatient wards, old-age homes, and other institutional care facilities in Social Care is free of charge.

The authorities in the home municipality of the disabled person will decide and give further information on the institutional care organised by municipalities and joint municipal authorities.

Further information on municipal institutional care:
Tarja Wheeler, tel. +358 295 503 261

Institutional care in Sweden

Disabled war veterans with a degree of disability of at least 10% who live in Sweden are also entitled to free-of-charge care which corresponds to institutional care and part-time institutional care in the country where they live.

Applying for institutional care in Sweden

The disabled person must apply for a payment commitment for institutional care from the State Treasury using the form (only available in Swedish) on the Instructions, application forms tab.

The Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland > can help organise the institutional care place and prepare the application.

The State Treasury will issue a payment commitment to the home municipality of the disabled person, and the municipality will organise the care and invoice the State Treasury.

Further information on institutional care in Sweden:
Tarja Wheeler, tel. +358 295 503 261

Disabled war veterans and soldiers with a degree of disability of at least 20% can claim compensation for expenses caused by injuries or illnesses other than those compensated. In this case, the compensation is paid as hospital care supplement. In addition to the expenses of the disabled person, medical expenses of a family member of the person entitled to an increase to annuity can also be considered in the definition of the hospital care supplement.

Income limits for the hospital care supplement

The hospital care supplement is income-related. If the income exceeds the following limits, an excess share is defined for the applicant. The income limits are:

• No more than 18,900 euros for a person living alone
• No more than 30,700 euros total for married couples.

The excess share is not defined if the gross income, excluding military injury compensation, is below the income limit. If the total gross annual income of the applicant or the applicant and their spouse is 67,300 euros or more, they are not entitled to the hospital care supplement.

Annual maximum limits have been defined for the costs compensated in the form of hospital care supplement. At the moment, these are:

• 4,263.91 euros for those of working age, and
• 4,020.09 euros for pensioners.

The expenses included in the entitlement for hospital care supplement must usually be related to doctor’s appointments, medicine, hospital care, dental care, glasses, or hearing aids.

In addition, household expenses in the form of cleaning, snow clearing, wood chopping, carpet and linen washing, and similar expenses may be compensated up to 100 euros per month.

Applying for hospital care supplement

Hospital care supplement can only be applied based on expenses which have already been paid. The hospital care supplement is an income-related compensation.

We recommend collecting receipts during a longer period of time and applying for the hospital care supplement one or two times per year. However, the expenses compensated by the State Treasury can be no older than 18 months.

The application form for hospital care supplement can be found on the Instructions, application forms tab.

Continuous hospital care supplement

Disabled persons and their spouses who have considerable medical expenses can be granted a continuous hospital care supplement. They do not need to apply for it, as the State Treasury will grant it based on previous applications.

Increased hospital care supplement

Compensation for continuous home care expenses can be sought from the State Treasury as increased hospital care supplement. It is granted based on financial means-testing.

The preconditions for the increased hospital care supplement are:

• a minimum degree of disability of 50% and
• considering all forms of income, a net income of no more than
  • 1,500 euros/month for those living alone, or
  • 2,400 euros/month for married couples.

Applying for increased hospital care supplement

The increased hospital care supplement is applied for based on expenses which have already been formed, or home care which already takes place. Receipts for the home care expenses and the income of the applicant must be delivered to the State Treasury. The increased hospital care supplement is paid to the disabled person, and like the other forms of compensation is tax-free.

People with a degree of disability of at least 20% can receive a supplementary annuity as social assistance support from the State Treasury.

Those with a degree of disability of 30% are granted a higher supplementary annuity than those with 20–25%.

The supplementary annuity is usually granted for a defined period of time. The supplementary annuity can be granted until further notice to those over 65, if their annuity has been granted until further notice. In case of a significant change in the living conditions or income, the supplementary annuity decision can be adjusted.

See section Applying for adjustment of decisions > Adjustment > Who can receive supplementary annuity?

The supplementary annuity can be granted to disabled persons whose income is below the confirmed income limit. The granting and the extent are affected by the applicant’s gross income and degree of disability.

Income limits for supplementary annuity

The maximum gross income entitling to the lowest level of supplementary annuity is:

• 14,401 euros for those with a degree of disability of 30–100%
• 11,284 euros for those with a degree of disability of 20–25%

All other income except for the following is considered annual income when granting supplementary annuity:

• compensation to the applicant under the Military Injuries Act
• housing and care allowance paid by Kela
• additional front-line supplement, spouse supplement, and child increase paid by Kela

Changing of the amount of supplementary annuity

• Being transferred to permanent institutional care will cut off payment of the supplementary annuity altogether.
• Fixed-term institutional care for more than 11 weeks decreases the amount of supplementary annuity.
• If the gross income of the spouse exceeds 2,100 euros per month, the supplementary annuity can be decreased.

War veterans will be compensated for the necessary medical care caused by an injury or illness which is compensated as military injury.

In addition, a person with a degree of disability of at least 10% will be compensated for:

• treatment of compensated injuries and illnesses
• general medical examination
• special examination
• foot care
• small assistive devices

Treatment of compensated injuries and illnesses

The State Treasury will compensate the following, when necessary due to injuries or illnesses:

• examinations
• treatments
• medicines
• assistive devices

Costs compensated as medical care must be reasonable and appropriate, considering the objectives of the treatment. In this case, the State Treasury will also compensate for the immediate travel expenses caused by accessing care.

For examinations and treatment measures, we recommend applying for a payment commitment from the State Treasury in advance using a free-form application or the State Treasury form from the Instructions, application forms tab.

Compensating medical expenses

If the disabled person paid for the expenses themselves, the Application form for medical expenses (on the Instructions, application forms tab), along with original receipts, must be delivered to the State Treasury within one year of the ending of the calendar year during which the expenses were paid.

An account of the grounds and expenses of the treatment must be presented to the State Treasury.

Assistive devices

The State Treasury will compensate for assistive devices required due to a compensated injury or illness.

We recommend requesting information on the eligibility for compensation from the State Treasury by phone beforehand.

Assistive devices which are compensated may include:

• assistive mobility devices
• equipment intended for everyday activities of the disabled
• assistive devices for people with hearing or visual impairments
• a car for a person with severe mobility impairments, who is entitled to a motor vehicle supplement (maximum amount defined)
• car control equipment and automatic transmission for those with severe mobility impairments or arm impairments (maximum amount defined)

General medical examination

A person whose degree of disability is at least 10% is entitled to a general medical examination at the cost of the State Treasury. The examination only covers the examinations listed on the payment commitment.

The State Treasury compensates for a general medical examination once a year.

We recommend applying for a payment commitment from the State Treasury in advance using the form Application for payment commitment, general medical examination, on the Instructions, application forms tab.

The payment commitment is valid until further notice, and does not need to be applied for every year.

Special examination

The State Treasury can grant a payment commitment for a special examination, if there is reason to suspect an illness which requires examinations based on the general health examination or otherwise.

Payment commitments are not granted for examinations of already diagnosed and rejected illnesses or injuries.

We recommend applying for a payment commitment from the State Treasury in advance using the form Application for payment commitment, special examination, which enables the provider of the examination to collect the costs directly from the State Treasury.  See the Instructions, application forms tab.

Foot care

People with a degree of disability of at least 10% will be compensated for three foot care sessions annually, even if the need for care is not caused by a compensated injury or illness. The State Treasury will compensate reasonable foot care expenses.

Foot care is not granted to spouses.

Upon request, a payment commitment valid until further notice can be granted for foot care. This allows the foot care provider to collect the costs directly from the State Treasury.

If the disabled person pays for the foot care themselves, they can send the receipts to the State Treasury. The receipts must state:

• the price of the care
• that the nature of the care is foot care
• the name of the person who received the care
• when the care was carried out.

Who can provide foot care?

Foot care can be provided by a foot therapist, chiropodist, a person with basic health care education who is specialised in foot care, or a cosmetologist.

Small assistive devices

Assistive devices for everyday activities with a price, including VAT, no greater than 150 euros can be compensated to persons with a degree of disability of at least 10%.

Small assistive devices include

• canes, forearm crutches, and ice grips
• sock aids
• anti-slip aids for shoes
• dressing assistive devices
• gripping aids
• general purpose openers, can openers, and assistive devices for opening doors
• booster seats
• bed elevation aids
• shower stools
• support bars
• assistive devices for the visually impaired (including magnifying glasses, clocks)
• assistive devices for the hearing-impaired (including additional alarms for doorbell or phone)

Compensation can be granted for several assistive devices. The requirement is that the disabled person needs the assistive device to support their living at home. If necessary, the State Treasury may request an expert’s opinion on the necessity of the assistive devices.

What is NOT compensated?

Assistive devices which cost over 150 euros are not compensated, even if the disabled person were willing to pay for the exceeding amount.

However, if the need for the assistive device is caused by the compensated injury or illness, even assistive devices which cost over 150 euros may be compensated.

The following are not compensated as small assistive devices:

• diapers and pull-on diapers
• equipment for hobbies and exercise (e.g. Nordic walking sticks, exercise mats, heart rate monitors)
• thermal socks, knee heaters, and thermal underwear
• orthopaedic shoes
• batteries for a hearing aid (except when related to a compensated injury or illness)
• lenses or rims for glasses (except when related to a compensated injury or illness)

Institutional care in Sweden

Disabled war veterans with a degree of disability of at least 10% who live in Sweden are also entitled to free-of-charge care which corresponds to institutional care and part-time institutional care in the country where they live.

Applying for institutional care in Sweden

The disabled person must apply for a payment commitment for institutional care from the State Treasury using the form (only available in Swedish) on the Instructions, application forms tab.

The Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland > can help organise the institutional care place and prepare the application.

The State Treasury will issue a payment commitment to the home municipality of the disabled person, and the municipality will organise the care and invoice the State Treasury.

Further information on institutional care in Sweden:
Tarja Wheeler, tel. +358 295 503 261

Meal services in Sweden

The State Treasury can compensate the costs of one daily meal for a person who has been injured or fallen ill and is living in Sweden permanently. Starting on 1 January 2016, even persons living in Sweden who were injured or fell ill due to the wars in 1939–1945 and whose degree of disability is 10% are entitled to these services.

However, meal compensation is not paid for the duration of institutional rehabilitation or a treatment compensated for by the State Treasury which corresponds to institutional care or part-time institutional care.

The State Treasury will confirm the price of the compensated meals annually. The price follows the value confirmed in Swedish taxation for lunch benefit. In 2020, the lunch card value is 98 SEK per day.

Applying for meal services in Sweden

Disabled people living in Sweden must apply for the meal service from the State Treasury using a separate form. The application form for meal services in Sweden can be found on the Instructions, application forms tab.

In order to receive the service, the applicant must permit the State Treasury to send the necessary information to the Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland. > The State Treasury will issue a payment commitment to those entitled to the meal service.

Supplying the meal service to the applicant

The Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland uses the Edenred lunch card system to supply the meal service, and sends the cards to those entitled to the compensation based on the information submitted by the applicant to the State Treasury.

The State Treasury will also compensate for other personal care and home and support services based on receipts.

Further information:
Swedish branch of the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland, executive director Juha Joki, Box 5133, 121 17 Johanneshov, Sweden, tel. +46 705 630 373. Office tel.  +46 86 481 131

Rehabilitation for disabled war veterans living abroad

Disabled war veterans living abroad can receive rehabilitation either in their country of residence or in Finland. However, they can only receive rehabilitation in Finland if their health permits travelling.

Residential rehabilitation is available in Pärnu, Estonia, and in Sudbury and near Vancouver in Canada.

Intensive outpatient rehabilitation is available in Sudbury, Canada.

Outpatient rehabilitation (e.g. physical care) is available where the disabled person lives.

Assistance pension is a monthly financial support which depends on the degree of disability and year of birth of the primary beneficiary, which is the disabled person.

The State Treasury will pay the widow and a child under 17 an assistance pension after the death of the disabled person, if

• the degree of disability of the deceased was at least 30% or
• the death of the disabled person was caused by the injury or illness for which they received annuity.

In addition, in order for the widow to be eligible for assistance pension,

• the couple must have been married for at least three years before the death of the disabled person, or
• a child must have been born in the marriage.

Applying for assistance pension

Assistance pension can be applied for from the State Treasury using the attached form (in Finnish) >.

Means-tested compensation

An applicant who remains without reasonable livelihood after the death of the disabled person can be granted

• means-tested compensation payable after the death of the disabled person
• supplementary assistance pension
• lump-sum compensation or
• assistance pension for a remarried widow.

When assessing the eligibility for these compensations or the extent of the supplementary assistance pension, the applicant’s net income and assets, including the assets of the estate of the disabled person, are considered.

In addition, the following are considered as deductions, among others:

• reasonable housing expenses,
• deductible amounts for medical expenses,
• interests of necessary debts, and
• expenses from using necessary outside help.

However, the care allowance from Kela > often compensates for the expenses from outside help. The possibility for care allowance must be considered primary.

Housing expenses include rent expenses, and maintenance charges, as well as separate heating and water fees. The housing expenses of a detached house is accepted as 259 euros per month. The housing expenses are divided among everyone living in the apartment.

Occasional medical expenses are not considered in granting means-tested compensation.

Further information on means-tested compensation:
Jan Forsberg, +358 295 50 2022

Assistance pension for a so-called former widow, or a remarried widow

A war widow or a widow of a disabled war veteran who through remarrying has lost their right to assistance pension may be entitled to assistance pension (so-called former widow pension) if their new marriage has ended.

The requirement is that the new marriage ended through death or divorce. The new marriage must have ended at least three years before.

The assistance pension for a remarried widow must always be sought from the State Treasury. Assistance pension is applied for using the attached form (in Finnish) >

A remarried widow may be again eligible for assistance pension when at least three years have passed from the ending of the new marriage through death or divorce. Their ability to work and earn a living and their assets must also be so low that they are left without a reasonable livelihood.

Continued assistance pension can be granted for a child over 17, if

• the child, between 17 and 23 years old, cannot work to earn a living due to studying, or
• the child has a bodily or mental disability which formed before they turned 17 and makes them unable to earn a living.

A widow who receives assistance pension may apply for supplementary assistance pension if their means of subsistence is considered reduced. A child without either parent or a parent who already receives assistance pension may be entitled to supplementary assistance pension to secure a reasonable level of income.

Supplementary assistance pension is usually not granted to those in permanent institutional care.

Amount of supplementary assistance pension

Depending on the income of the applicant and the primary beneficiary’s date of birth, the supplementary assistance pension for a widow is 50,94 – 666,40 euros per month.

The amount of supplementary assistance pension can be adjusted if the recipient’s conditions or subsistence change significantly. Similarly, supplementary assistance pension can be granted on application to a previously rejected applicant.

Applying for supplementary assistance pension

Supplementary assistance pension is applied for using the attached State Treasury forms.

Lump-sum compensation can be paid by application to the widow of a person whose degree of disability was 10–25%, and a child under 17 years old who is not entitled to assistance pension. The applicant must be without a reasonable level of income.

Lump-sum compensation is usually not granted to those in permanent institutional care.

Extent of compensation

The lump-sum compensation corresponds to the full assistance pension payable in one year.

The compensation for a widow is 8 607,33 – 9 129,37 euros.

Claiming compensation

Lump-sum compensation must be claimed from the State Treasury within one year of the death of the disabled person using the attached forms (in Finnish) >

Care institutions which organise institutional care and day-based activities in 2024 > 
Rehabilitation and care institutions which organise residential rehabilitation in 2024 >

Anyone who is injured or disabled or has fallen ill must primarily take care of applying for compensation and for any related adjustment of decisions themselves.

The State Treasury provides more detailed information and practical instructions on completing applications, tel. +358 (0)295 50 3070.

Information and instructions are also provided by local branches, district offices and head offices of the war veterans’ associations (Sotainvalidien Veljesliitto) and advisory services are provided by war veterans’ nursing homes and ‘brotherhood homes.’

Applying for adjustment to the annuity and supplementary assistance pension

The adjustment application may be used for:

• applying for an increase to the degree of disability (percentage) on which the annuity is based
• applying for an adjustment to valid annuity increments, supplementary annuity and supplementary assistance pension.

Adjustment of the annuity

The grounds for applying for an adjustment of the annuity are that the harm caused by the injury or illness has increased significantly since the annuity decision issued earlier. Here, any additional injuries or illnesses caused by the injuries or illnesses that are compensated for may be taken into account.

The increase of the harm must be proven on a medical certificate attached to the application.

Any deterioration of the general health or civilian illnesses or injuries due to old age are not considered when deciding on an adjustment of the annuity.

Applying for adjustment to the annuity increment, supplementary annuity and supplementary assistance pension

You may apply for adjustment to valid decisions on annuity increments, supplementary annuities and supplementary assistance pensions, as well. The adjustment must be based on significant changes to the factors upon which the amount of the compensation is based.

There are no fixed application periods for adjustments.

Claiming compensation again

Claiming compensation again is possible, if the injury or falling ill that occurred during military service or other similar circumstances occurred prior to the Military Injuries Act entering into force on 1 January 1948.

Reprocessing of the decision

The State Treasury may reprocess decisions made more than five years ago, if the decision rejected compensation for an injury or illness or only awarded partial compensation for an injury or illness.

In addition to decisions made by the State Treasury, you may apply for reprocessing of decisions made by the Insurance Court or the Supreme Court from the State Treasury.

When can I apply for compensation again?

The deciding factor in all cases is that at least five years must have passed since the latest decision on the matter.

You may receive a favourable decision after the matter has been re-examined, if the compensation policy has changed. Presenting a new report may also help you. The new report may include medical certificates and eye-witness accounts, for example.

Appeal / request for rectification

Any requests for rectification concerning decision by the State Treasury must be addressed to the State Treasury.

The request rectification must be made in writing to the State Treasury. The name and home municipality of the person requesting the rectification must be stated on the request. The request for rectification must be signed by the person requesting the rectification or the person drafting the request. If the person making the request does not sign the request, a power of attorney must be attached to the request, unless the agent is an attorney at law or a Public Legal Aid Attorney. If the request for rectification has been drafted by someone else than the person requesting the rectification, the request must state the profession and domicile of the drafter.

The State Treasury’s decision, either the original document or a copy, must be attached to the request for rectification. In addition to this, the original documents or copies of said documents supporting the requester’s claim must be attached to the request for rectification, if they have not been provided to the State Treasury earlier. The request for rectification must state the type of rectification being requested as well as the grounds upon which the rectification is sought.

The request for rectification must arrive at the State Treasury by the end of office hours on the thirtieth (30th) day from the date on which the person making the request was informed of the decision. They are deemed to have been notified of the decision on the seventh (7th) day after the mailing date marked on the decision, unless otherwise proven on the request for rectification.

The person making the request for rectification or their legally appointed agent may deliver the request for rectification to the State Treasury in person, by using a courier service at their own risk, by mail or via e-mail.

If the request for rectification is mailed, it must be given to the postal service for delivery early enough to ensure that the delivery or the notification of delivery to the post office of destination of the request is provided to the State Treasury before the time limit mentioned above has expired.

The postal address of the State Treasury is P.O. Box 60, FI-00054 STATE TREASURY.
E-mail: soveinfo@statetreasury.fi

If the customer is dissatisfied with the decision issued by the State Treasury based on the request for rectification, the customer may lodge a complaint with the Insurance Court.

Removing the decision

The Insurance Court may remove a legally valid decision, if it is based on faulty or inadequate reports or it is not evidently lawful.