KELA
Encyclopedia
Kela, or Kansaneläkelaitos (in Finnish), also FPA or Folkpensionsanstalten (in Swedish), and SII or Social Insurance Institution (in English), is a Finnish
government agency in charge of settling benefits under national social security
programs. Kela was founded in 1937 to handle retirement pay, but in the 1980s and 1990s its role was expanded to handle other fields like child benefit
s, unemployment benefit
s, sickness benefits, health insurance
and student benefit
s.
Despite the use of the word "insurance" in the English translation, Kela is funded directly from taxation, not from insurance premiums. Coverage under the scheme is given to all permanent residents of Finland. Kansaneläkelaitos literally means "National Pension Institution " or, corresponding to the Swedish name, "Folk Pension Agency", reflecting its original function as the national provider of retirement benefits.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
government agency in charge of settling benefits under national social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
programs. Kela was founded in 1937 to handle retirement pay, but in the 1980s and 1990s its role was expanded to handle other fields like child benefit
Child benefit
Child benefit is a social security payment disbursed to the parents or guardians of children. Child benefit is means-tested in some countries.-Australia:...
s, unemployment benefit
Unemployment benefit
Unemployment benefits are payments made by the state or other authorized bodies to unemployed people. Benefits may be based on a compulsory para-governmental insurance system...
s, sickness benefits, health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
and student benefit
Student benefit
Student benefits are transfer payments that are given to students for purposes of full-time study, and require progress in studies, or obtaining academic credits. Student benefits are found in countries where education is free of charge, e.g. Finland and Sweden...
s.
Despite the use of the word "insurance" in the English translation, Kela is funded directly from taxation, not from insurance premiums. Coverage under the scheme is given to all permanent residents of Finland. Kansaneläkelaitos literally means "National Pension Institution " or, corresponding to the Swedish name, "Folk Pension Agency", reflecting its original function as the national provider of retirement benefits.