The Finnish government has reached a consensus on implementing a version of the Norwegian model for home care allowance, restricting eligibility to those residing in Finland for a minimum of three years.
In Finland, the government has officially agreed upon a proposal regarding the home care allowance, modeled after a system used in Norway. This plan indicates that eligibility for home care allowance will only be available to those who have lived in Finland for at least three years after turning 16. The specifics of this model are now set to be presented in the government agenda, reflecting an effort to align home care support with residency requirements.
The preparation of this Norwegian model faced delays due to meticulous scrutiny of the constitutional implications surrounding the restrictions on the home care allowance. The issue was particularly contentious for the Swedish People's Party (RKP), as they navigated pressures from other parties like the True Finns and the National Coalition Party, who supported the proposed changes. This indicates deeper political divides regarding social welfare policies and how they are structured in Finland.
Additionally, the reform stipulates that if a child's custodian or their partner has lived in Finland for less than three years, they will not qualify for the home care allowance. However, living in any EU country, a European Economic Area country, or Switzerland will count towards meeting this three-year residency requirement. This rule aims to establish a framework that ties social support more closely with residency and integration into Finnish society, thereby influencing future immigration and welfare strategies.
