Students represent largest group receiving housing support in Finland

Most recipients of general housing support in December 2023 were students, according to a statement from Kela, Finland’s social insurance institution. Student households accounted for 42 percent of all beneficiaries of this support. Overall, 14 percent of Finland’s population under 65 received general housing assistance. This support was most prevalent in large cities, particularly university towns with high student populations. For instance, in cities such as Turku, Joensuu, Tampere, and Jyväskylä, more than one in five individuals under 65 received general housing support.

The government plans to move students out of the general housing support system and onto housing allowances as part of study grants starting in August 2025. Following this change, the number of general housing support recipients is expected to decrease significantly. After the transition, unemployed individuals will represent the majority of recipients, as many students currently receiving support will shift to the new system. This year’s cuts to assistance and the termination of aid for those living in owned homes at the year’s end will further reduce the number of beneficiaries, according to Kela’s research director, Signe Jauhiainen.

Following students, the next largest group receiving housing support were unemployed individuals, constituting 31 percent of beneficiaries, while employed individuals made up 19 percent. In February, it was reported that the number of those receiving general housing support in Finland reached a record high in 2023, with over 400,000 households receiving assistance—a nearly six percent increase compared to the previous year.