Yleistuki 2026 — how much does Kela pay an unemployed person?
Yleistuki is the basic security for unemployed people that replaced the basic unemployment allowance (peruspäiväraha) and the labour market subsidy (työmarkkinatuki) on 1 May 2026. It is 37.21 euros a day, paid for five weekdays a week, which comes to about 800 euros a month before tax. There is no cap on duration: Kela pays for as long as the unemployment lasts.
One thing changed fundamentally in the reform. The basic allowance had no means test; yleistuki does. Capital income, most other benefits and parental income can all reduce the amount, which is why many people now receive less than they did before May. Below are the conditions, worked examples, and the rule that takes two-thirds of the benefit away over nothing more than an unfilled field.
- €37.21
- per day
- €800.02
- per month (× 21.5 d)
- 7
- weekdays of waiting period
- 21 wk
- qualifying period without a degree
Who can get yleistuki
- You are 18–64 and living in Finland on a permanent basis.
- You have registered as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services of your municipality at Job Market Finland.
- You do not qualify for earnings-related allowance, or your fund has already paid it for the maximum number of days.
- You have been unemployed for the waiting period of 7 weekdays.
- If you have no vocational qualification or higher education degree, you have completed the 21-week qualifying period.
There is no maximum duration. That is what separates yleistuki from the earnings-related allowance, which runs for at most 300, 400 or 500 days — when the fund’s maximum is exhausted, yleistuki is the next step. Someone who has come from an EU country can also receive it if Finland was their last country of work. The benefit can be claimed retroactively for at most three months, so there is no sense in postponing the application.
The waiting period and the qualifying period are different things
These two are confused more often than any other condition. The waiting period is 7 weekdays from the start of unemployment, nothing is paid for it, and it applies to everyone. The qualifying period is 21 weeks — about five months — and it applies only to people without a vocational qualification or a higher education degree; upper secondary school does not count as a qualification. The qualifying period does not depend on age.
What is actually left
| Situation | Yleistuki / month | Total income |
|---|---|---|
| No other income | €800.02 | €800.02 |
| Part-time work €400/month | €600.02 | €1,000.02 |
| Capital income €500/month | €705.52 | €1,205.52 |
| Living with parents, their income €3,000/month | €550.02 | €550.02 |
| Parents’ income not reported | €280.01 | €280.01 |
Yleistuki is taxable income. The monthly figure comes from multiplying the daily rate by 21.5, because the benefit is paid five days a week including mid-week holidays. Payment arrives retroactively in four-week periods, and each period needs an unemployment status report — without it nothing is paid out.
What reduces yleistuki
| Income or assets | Effect |
|---|---|
| Wages from part-time work or gigs | −50 cents for every euro earned |
| Capital and other non-wage income | 50% of the part above €311/month is deducted |
| Other benefits | usually deducted directly; a monthly benefit is divided by 21.5 |
| Parents’ income if you live with them | reduces the benefit if the work requirement is not met |
| Savings and assets | no effect |
| Spouse or cohabitant income | no effect |
Wages have no protected amount. The former 300-euro exempt amount was abolished back on 1 April 2024, so even the first euro earned cuts the benefit by 50 cents. Total income still rises either way: 400 euros of wages leaves 200 euros more in hand than the benefit alone. Taking work pays, but the gain is half of what the salary looks like.
Parental income and the 35 per cent rule
If you live with your parents and do not meet the work requirement, their income affects the benefit. The full amount is paid while their income stays below the limit; half of anything above it is deducted. The limit rises for each dependent child under 18. If you live with only one parent, only that parent’s income counts.
Why the amount can be lower than before May
The basic allowance was a flat rate and was not cut because of other income. Yleistuki is means-tested, so the same person in the same situation can now receive less. Kela says so itself. If your benefit fell, check your housing allowance at the same time: when household income drops by at least 200 euros a month, it is worth applying for a review of the general housing allowance — otherwise you lose money from two directions at once.
Changes must be reported to Kela promptly: hours worked, days worked, and any change in the income that feeds the means test. Failing to report leads to an overpayment that is recovered later. The earnings-related allowance was not touched by the reform at all — it is still paid by the unemployment fund under its own rules.
Calculators for this topic
FAQ
How much is yleistuki in 2026?
37.21 euros a day for five weekdays a week, about 800 euros a month before tax. The amount is the same regardless of your previous salary.
How long is the waiting period for yleistuki?
7 weekdays from the start of unemployment, with nothing paid for that time. It is not the same as the 21-week qualifying period, which applies only to people without a vocational qualification or a higher education degree.
What replaced the basic allowance and the labour market subsidy?
Yleistuki replaced both on 1 May 2026. The amount is the same 37.21 euros a day, but the new benefit is means-tested — capital income, other benefits and parental income can all reduce it.
Does part-time work reduce yleistuki?
Yes. Every euro earned cuts the benefit by 50 cents, and there is no protected amount. Total income still rises: 400 euros of wages leaves 200 euros more in hand than the benefit alone.
How does parental income affect it?
If you live with your parents and do not meet the work requirement, half of their income above the limit is deducted. If you do not report their income at all, Kela pays only 35 per cent of the full benefit — about 280 euros a month.
How long can yleistuki be paid?
There is no maximum — Kela pays for as long as the unemployment continues and the conditions are met. It can be claimed retroactively for at most three months.