Last year, Vantaa had the highest number of recipients of basic social assistance in Finland, as new statistics show an increase in both the number of recipients and the payments made.
In Finland, the Kansaneläkelaitos revealed that the number of individuals receiving basic social assistance increased significantly last year, with Vantaa leading among municipalities. Overall, 6.4 percent of the Finnish population was reported to be beneficiaries of social assistance, indicating a troubling trend, particularly in larger urban areas like the capital, Helsinki. Most of the assistance provided was directed toward housing costs, reflecting the financial struggles many face in affording adequate housing in these areas.
The report noted that in Helsinki, the guidance for switching to more affordable housing was more common compared to other municipalities. The social assistance entity encourages applicants whose housing costs exceed a certain limit to find cheaper accommodation within three months. This statistic bears significance, as approximately 22,000 households in mainland Finland were instructed to seek less expensive housing in 2025, highlighting the ongoing issue of affordability in urban settings.
Conversely, the municipality of Luoto in Ostrobothnia had the lowest percentage of beneficiaries, with only one percent of its population receiving basic social assistance. Overall, from the previous year, there was about a three percent increase in households receiving support, with an accumulated total of 365,000 individual recipients. This rise indicates that a larger portion of the population is experiencing financial hardship, reinforcing the need for ongoing adjustments in social assistance policies to address these critical economic challenges across Finland.
