Government proposal to Parliament to support the purchasing power of families with children

To support families with children, the Government proposes to raise the 2023 amounts of the child increment to unemployment security, the single-parent increment to child benefit, the family provider increment to study grant, and the basic social assistance for children under 18 years of age. A permanent raise is proposed to the maximum amount of the care increment to child home care allowance and private childcare allowance. It is further proposed that the annual maximum limit on out-of-pocket costs for the medicine reimbursement system under the Health Insurance Act be frozen at the 2022 level in 2023.

The benefit amounts would be raised as follows: 

• a 20 per cent increase in the child increment to unemployment security 
• a 10 per cent increase in the basic social assistance for children under 18 years of age 
• an EUR 10 increase in the family provider increment to study grant 
• an EUR 5 increase in the single-parent increment to child benefit
• a permanent increase of EUR 100 in the care increment to private childcare allowance

“The Government will support people as their living costs increase. The measures the Government agreed in its budget session to boost purchasing power are especially necessary to support low-income households and families with children in these exceptional times. It is important that raising the benefit amounts will help even lowest-income families with children who receive social assistance,” says Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen.

The proposal concerns the 2023 budget proposal and is intended to be considered with it.

The acts would be in force from 1 January to 31 December 2023, with the exception of the act amending the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Care Allowances. The act amending the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Care Allowances would enter into force on 1 March 2023.

Inquiries: 

Annika Juurikko, Senior Specialist, [email protected]

• Goverment proposal (in Finnish)