Kela · home care allowance 2026
Child home care allowance calculator (kotihoidontuki) 2026
The child home care allowance (kotihoidontuki) is paid when a child under 3 is cared for at home and is not in municipal early childhood education. It consists of a fixed care allowance (€377.68/mo for one child under 3) and an income-tested care supplement (up to €202.12/mo).
A low-income family can receive up to about €580/mo for one child, and many municipalities pay their own municipal supplement (e.g. Helsinki €264, Espoo €160). Enter the children and income — the calculator estimates your allowance.
Calculate your home care allowance
Enter the number of children cared for at home, the family size and gross income.
Income affects only the supplement, not the fixed care allowance.
Home care allowance
€573/ mo
Taxable · excludes municipal supplement · estimate
| Care allowance | €378 |
| Care supplement | €196 |
| Home care allowance | €573 / mo |
Many municipalities also pay a municipal supplement (kuntalisä), e.g. Helsinki ≈ €264/month, Espoo ≈ €160/month; Tampere and Turku pay none. It is not included in this estimate — check with your own municipality.
Home care allowance amounts 2026
| Care allowance, 1st child under 3 | €378 / mo |
| Other children under 3 (each) | €113 / mo |
| Other children 3 to school age (each) | €73 / mo |
| Care supplement (one child) | up to €202/month |
The care allowance is fixed and does not depend on income; the supplement is income-tested and paid for only one child. The income limits and reduction rate depend on family size (11.5% / 9.4% / 7.9%). The municipal supplement varies by municipality and is not included. The allowance is paid while the youngest child is under 3 and not in municipal early childhood education. It is taxable. This is an estimate, not a Kela decision.
How is the child home care allowance (kotihoidontuki) calculated?
The allowance has two parts. The care allowance (hoitoraha) is fixed and income-independent: €377.68/month for the first child under 3, €113.07/month for each other child under 3, and €72.66/month for each other child under school age. The care supplement (hoitolisä) is income-tested and paid for one child only, up to €202.12/month. It decreases once the family's gross income exceeds a lower limit set by family size and ends at an upper limit: for a 2-person family €1,160.04 → €2,917.53/month, for 3 people €1,430.05 → €3,580.16, and for 4+ people €1,700.06 → €4,258.42. Many municipalities also pay a supplement. The whole allowance is taxable income.
What does the home care allowance consist of in 2026?
The care allowance (hoitoraha) is fixed: €377.68/mo for one child under 3, €113.07/mo for each other child under 3, and €72.66/mo for each other pre-school child over 3. Family income does not affect the care allowance.
The care supplement (hoitolisä) is income-tested and paid for one child only. The full supplement is €202.12/mo and it falls as the family's gross income exceeds a limit set by family size, down to zero. In a two-person family the full supplement is paid up to income of €1,160.04/mo.
Many municipalities also pay their own municipal supplement, which varies widely (e.g. Helsinki €264, Espoo €160, Tampere and Turku €0) — the calculator does not estimate this. The allowance is taxable and requires the family's youngest child to be under 3.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the home care allowance in 2026?
For one child under 3 the care allowance is €377.68/mo. A low-income family can also get up to €202.12/mo in care supplement, for a total of up to about €580/mo — plus a municipal supplement in many municipalities.
What is the difference between hoitoraha and hoitolisä?
Hoitoraha is the fixed, income-independent part (€377.68/mo for one child under 3). Hoitolisä is an income-tested supplement (up to €202.12/mo), paid for one child only and reduced as income rises.
Does income affect the home care allowance?
Not the care allowance, but the care supplement is income-tested. It falls as the family's gross income exceeds the limit (€1,160.04/mo in a two-person family) and stops entirely at the upper limit.
Can you get the allowance for more than one child?
The care allowance is paid for each child cared for at home: €377.68 for one under 3, €113.07 for other children under 3 and €72.66/mo for siblings over 3. The care supplement, however, is paid for one child only.
Does the municipality pay extra?
Many municipalities pay their own supplement on top of the national allowance. It varies widely: for example Helsinki about €264/mo and Espoo €160/mo, while Tampere and Turku pay none. Check your own municipality's supplement.