Kela · sickness allowance 2026
Sickness allowance calculator (sairauspäiväraha) 2026
The sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) is based on your annual income. For example, on a salary of about €2,600/mo (~€31,100/yr) it is roughly €66 per working day. The minimum is €31.99 per working day, paid for 6 days a week (Mon–Sat).
It is paid after a waiting period for up to about 300 working days. Enter your income and situation — the calculator estimates your daily and monthly sickness allowance.
Calculate your sickness allowance
Sickness allowance is based on annual income. Enter your income and choose whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur.
For employees, a 9.07% insurance contribution deduction (2026) is taken from wages before the calculation; YEL income has no such deduction.
Sickness allowance
€1,591/ mo
€63.65 / working day · taxable, before tax
Waiting period (omavastuuaika)
For an employee the waiting period is the day of illness + 9 working days — Kela pays sickness allowance only after that (from the 10th working day). The employer may pay salary during the waiting period.
| Annual income (used) | €27,279 |
| Per working day | €63.65 |
| Sickness allowance | €1,591 / mo |
Calculation formula 2026
| Annual income €/year | Per working day (€) |
|---|---|
| ≤ €13,712 | Minimum €31.99 |
| €13,713 – €28,899 | 0,7 × income / 300 |
| > €28,899 | 0,7 × income/300 − 0,55 × (income − 28 899)/300 |
Annual income is measured over the 12 months ending the month before incapacity begins. Wages have a 9.07% insurance deduction; YEL income does not. Paid for working days (Mon–Sat); the monthly estimate is daily × 25. For the same illness it is paid for at most ~300 working days. The allowance is taxable. Rules differ for farmers (MYEL) and special cases. This calculator is an estimate, not a Kela decision.
How is sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) calculated?
Sickness allowance is based on annual income — your income over the 12 months before incapacity for work. For an employee, a 9.07% insurance contribution deduction (2026) is first taken from wages; for an entrepreneur the basis is YEL work income with no deduction. The daily amount is: annual income up to €13,712 gives the minimum €31.99/working day, income of €13,713–28,899 is replaced at 70% (0.7 × income / 300), and above that 0.55 is deducted from the excess, lowering the replacement rate. It is paid for working days (Mon–Sat), so the monthly estimate is about daily × 25. There is a waiting period before payment, and it is paid for at most ~300 working days.
How is the sickness allowance calculated in 2026?
The allowance is based on annual income (the previous 12 months), from which a 9.07% insurance contribution is deducted first for employees. Up to €28,899/yr the allowance is 70% of income divided by 300; above that the accrual falls. The minimum is €31.99 per working day.
For an employee the waiting period is the day of illness + 9 working days, so Kela usually pays from the 10th working day (the employer often pays wages during the waiting period). For an entrepreneur (YEL) the allowance starts earlier.
The sickness allowance is paid for at most about 300 working days for the same illness. The same income-based formula also applies to the rehabilitation allowance. The sickness allowance is taxable income.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the sickness allowance in 2026?
The amount is based on annual income. For example, on a salary of about €2,600/mo it is roughly €66 per working day. The minimum is €31.99 per working day if income is low or nil.
When does Kela start paying the sickness allowance?
The employee waiting period is the day of illness plus the next 9 working days, so Kela usually pays from the 10th working day. The employer often pays wages during the waiting period.
How long is the sickness allowance paid?
It is paid for the same illness for at most about 300 working days (roughly a year). After that, for example rehabilitation support or a disability pension may become relevant.
What is the minimum sickness allowance?
The minimum is €31.99 per working day (about €800/mo). It is paid if annual income is at most €13,712 or you have none — for example to a student or a low earner.
Is the sickness allowance calculated like the parental allowance?
Not exactly. Both are based on annual income, but the formula differs: the sickness allowance is 70% of income, less 0.55 × the part over €28,899/yr divided by 300. The parental allowance uses 70/40/25% brackets.