Last year, the Finnish National Pension Agency, Kela, reported a significant decline in the number of recipients of national pensions, with over half a million people receiving benefits, marking a six percent drop from the previous year. This trend has continued over the past few years, with a total decrease of 12 percent noted since the beginning of the 2020s, as fewer individuals have relied on the state pension for their livelihood.

Kela attributes part of this decline to the cessation of national pension payments to foreigners, which was enacted in February of the previous year. This change in policy likely impacted the overall number of individuals who count on national pensions, especially for those who may have been receiving support from abroad. The decrease in recipients could suggest a broader trend of recovery in employment or other sources of income, prompting fewer people to rely solely on this social security support.

In financial terms, Kela disbursed around 2.3 billion euros in national pension payments last year. This reduction in recipients and corresponding expenditure raises important questions about the future of Finland's social security system, particularly in the face of a rapidly changing demographic landscape and economic conditions influencing who qualifies for or seeks such assistance.