Earnings-related unemployment allowance 2026 — how much does the fund pay?
Earnings-related daily allowance is unemployment security paid by an unemployment fund and based on your previous salary. On a salary of 3,000 euros a month the full rate is about 80.85 euros per weekday, roughly 1,740 euros a month before tax. That is 58% of the old salary — and only for the first 40 payment days.
Two things surprise people most. The allowance is cut twice as unemployment drags on: to 80% after 40 payment days and to 75% after 170. And it is paid by the fund, not Kela — without fund membership what remains is Kela general support, about 800 euros a month regardless of what you used to earn.
- €37.21
- basic component / weekday
- 45%
- earnings component to the breakpoint
- 40
- days at the full rate
- 12 mo
- employment condition
How the allowance is calculated
The calculation starts from your established salary before unemployment. Holiday bonus is removed first, then a statutory deduction of 3.83% — in 2025 the deduction was 3.54%, so comparisons with older calculations do not line up. The result is divided by 21.5 to give a daily wage. In fund arithmetic a month has 21.5 payment days, because the allowance is paid five days a week.
The allowance has two parts. The basic component is 37.21 euros per weekday, the same as Kela general support. The earnings component is 45% of the difference between the daily wage and the basic component, up to the breakpoint. The breakpoint is 95 times the basic component: 3,534.95 euros a month, or 164.42 euros a day. Above it the earnings component drops to 20%, and the whole allowance is always capped at 90% of the daily wage.
| Gross salary / month | Full / weekday | Full ≈ / month | 80% (days 41–170) | 75% (days 171–) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €2,000 | €60.72 | €1,306 | €1,044 | €979 |
| €2,500 | €70.79 | €1,522 | €1,218 | €1,141 |
| €3,000 | €80.85 | €1,738 | €1,391 | €1,304 |
| €3,500 | €90.92 | €1,955 | €1,564 | €1,466 |
| €4,000 | €97.35 | €2,093 | €1,675 | €1,570 |
| €5,000 | €106.30 | €2,285 | €1,828 | €1,714 |
The table also shows why the breakpoint matters so much. Between two and three thousand euros, a thousand euros more salary adds about 430 euros a month to the allowance. Between four and five thousand, the same thousand adds only about 190, because the earnings component has fallen to 20%. For a high earner, unemployment is a proportionally far harder drop.
Staggering: two cuts along the way
The allowance does not stay level through the whole spell. The full rate runs for 40 payment days, roughly two months. After that the allowance is 80% of the full rate until day 170, and 75% from there on. Payment days accumulate only for days the allowance is actually paid — spells of work do not use up the counter.
Who can get it
- Membership of an unemployment fund. The fee is typically a few tens of euros a year and is tax-deductible.
- The employment condition: 12 qualifying months. In 2026 a full month accrues from 930 euros of pay, and a month of 465–929 euros accrues half.
- The review period is 28 months and can be extended to at most seven years for reasons such as illness, study or childcare.
- Registration as a jobseeker with TE services before the first day of unemployment.
- A waiting period applies before the first payment, and nothing is paid for it.
Join a fund at the start of a job, not when redundancy is already on the horizon. The employment condition accrues only during membership, so for a new member the first months go into building it up. The maximum period is 300, 400 or 500 days depending on work history and age — the longest applies to those close to retirement age.
What changed: child supplements and the increased component
Unemployment security has been cut in two stages, and many calculators online still lag behind. Child supplements were abolished on 1 April 2024, so families are no longer paid extra by number of children. The increased earnings component was abolished on 1 January 2025, so a long career or a change-security situation no longer brings a higher rate. If your figures differ from a calculation made two years ago, that is not an error.
Earnings-related allowance or Kela general support
If you are not in a fund, or the employment condition is not met, unemployment security comes from Kela as general support. It replaced the basic daily allowance on 1 May 2026 and is a flat 37.21 euros per weekday, about 800 euros a month — the same whether you earned 2,000 or 5,000. On a 3,000-euro salary the gap to fund membership is about 940 euros a month in the early stage.
Part-time work, gigs and tax
Part-time work or occasional gigs do not cut off the allowance. The pay is adjusted instead: the fund deducts income according to the earnings in the payment period. Total income still comes to more than the allowance alone, so taking work almost always pays. Adjusted allowance has its own calculation, and every payment day uses up the maximum period.
The allowance is taxable income and it accrues pension. The fund withholds at least 25% unless it receives a tax card calculated for benefits — a wage tax card does not qualify. Order the revised card from OmaVero along with the first application.
Calculators for this topic
FAQ
How much is the allowance on a 3,000-euro salary?
At the full rate about 80.85 euros per weekday, roughly 1,740 euros a month, which is 58% of the salary. After 40 payment days it drops to 80% of that (about €1,391 a month) and after 170 days to 75% (about €1,304).
Who pays the earnings-related allowance?
An unemployment fund, not Kela. It requires fund membership and 12 qualifying employment months. Without membership, unemployment security comes from Kela as general support.
What is the difference between the earnings-related allowance and general support?
The earnings-related allowance is based on your previous salary; general support is a flat 37.21 euros per weekday, about 800 euros a month. On a 3,000-euro salary the difference is about 940 euros a month in the early stage.
How does the allowance decrease over time?
The full rate is paid for 40 payment days, then 80% until day 170, and 75% from then on. The maximum period is 300, 400 or 500 days depending on work history and age.
How much must you earn to meet the employment condition?
In 2026 a full qualifying month accrues from 930 euros of pay in a calendar month, and a month of 465–929 euros accrues half a month. Twelve months are needed, within a review period of 28 months.
Does part-time work affect the allowance?
Yes: the pay is adjusted and reduces the allowance, but total income comes to more than the allowance alone. The adjustment is based on the earnings in the payment period.