North Ostrobothnia plans 30 percent cuts to carers’ allowances

North Ostrobothnia’s wellbeing services county plans to cut its two highest informal-care allowance rates by 30 percent, a move that could leave one Oulu mother unable to care for her daughter at home, Yle reports.

The county, known as Pohde, says the cuts would save €3.7 million. Jonna, who cares full time for her daughter in her twenties, says her monthly allowance would fall from more than €1,100 to about €770. It is her only source of income.

Jonna says she may have to look for work outside the home and give up her role as a family caregiver. Her daughter needs round-the-clock supervision, and Jonna fears she could be moved to institutional care. Yle is not publishing Jonna’s real name because the article discusses her daughter’s health information.

Jonna has cared for her daughter since she was very young. Her daughter cannot move or function independently, Jonna says, and has severe epileptic seizures that can occur at any time. Jonna describes her as functioning at roughly the level of a six-month-old child.

Jonna also receives housing benefit and says she already has to economise on everything. She has been granted seven respite days each month but can use only two to four because her daughter’s health varies. Jonna says the family has been granted no support services other than respite days.

Pohde is preparing a savings programme of about €20 million as it faces a difficult financial outlook. The proposed cuts affect parts of the allowances that are not required by law. The county cancelled similar cuts in 2023 after estimates suggested they could increase costs if people needed more intensive care.

Kirsti Ylitalo-Katajisto, Pohde’s director of social and health care services, acknowledges that some family caregivers may end their agreements if their allowances are reduced. She says the county is willing to accept that risk as its financial forecasts worsen. Pohde’s future committee approved the proposal in a vote in early September. The regional council is due to make the final decision later this year.

Ylitalo-Katajisto says clients would continue to receive services based on assessed needs, including home care, meal services and other support. She also says the county provides more respite days than the statutory minimum.

Caregiver organisations have questioned whether the savings estimates reflect families’ circumstances. The example used in the calculations includes seven respite days a month, weekday meal services, a safety service, 21 hours of home care and day activities four times a month. The organisations say it is unclear how typical that level of support is or whether the cuts would save as much as presented to the committee. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s experts said they could not assess how representative the example was because the matter had not been surveyed.

Residents can submit comments on Pohde’s savings plans until 8 October. The proposed allowance cuts may also come under review in other wellbeing services counties, according to experts interviewed by Yle.