Finnish municipality receives over €1 million in inheritance to support elderly residents

The small municipality of Pöytyä in southwest Finland has received over €1 million in inheritance from four deceased residents, with the funds earmarked for services supporting elderly people, Yle reports.

The unexpected windfall—nearly half of the municipality’s annual investment budget—will be used to help seniors live independently at home. Proposed measures include free firewood deliveries, cleaning services, and social visits for isolated elderly residents.

“We have already tendered cleaning companies so that home visits for seniors can be covered by the inheritance funds,” said Helena Lindgren, chair of the municipality’s inheritance committee. Some funds have also been allocated to the Ysiysit senior club and the purchase of lift chairs for home care.

The donations follow a broader trend in Finland, where an increasing number of people die without heirs. According to the State Treasury, the number of estates transferred to the state has nearly doubled in a decade, rising from 210 in 2021 to 385 last year. Leading jurist Marjukka Vallioniemi attributes this to aging demographics and smaller family sizes.

Municipalities can apply to the State Treasury to receive estates left by deceased residents. In 2023–2025, municipalities in the Varsinais-Suomi region received a total of €10.7 million from 77 such estates, with the largest sums going to Turku (€5.3 million), Salo (€1.7 million), and Parainen (€1.4 million).

In Pöytyä, the inheritance has also sparked debate, as the largest donation—€731,000—was designated specifically for elderly residents in the former Pöytyä area, excluding those in the later-merged Karinais and Yläne districts. “We need to consider how to extend these services fairly across the entire municipality,” Lindgren noted.

So far, only a fraction of the funds has been spent, including a €45,000 renovation of three rental apartments for seniors and purchases of mobility aids. The municipality is also selling an inherited property to further boost the funds.