Lowering reception and spending allowances
Act temporarily amending sections 20 and 21 of the Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for International Protection and on the Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings
The reception allowance and spending allowance paid to asylum seekers, beneficiaries of temporary protection and victims of trafficking in human beings without a municipality of residence will be reduced. The change is temporary and will remain in force until the end of 2025.
- Status
- Passed with amendments
- Submitted
- 18 Apr 2024
- Latest event
- 1 Jul 2024
- Votes
- 1
- Speeches
- 38
- Confirmed
- 5 Jul 2024
- Statute
- 466/2024
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
The euro-denominated basic components of the reception allowance and of the spending allowance for unaccompanied minors will be reduced to the level of calculated food expenses granted as indispensable social assistance. At the same time, a separate increased basic component will be introduced in the reception allowance for single parents, and the reception allowance for children will be divided into two age categories (children under 10 years of age and 10–17-year-olds). The act will enter into force as soon as possible and will remain in force until 31 December 2025.
What it means
The change will weaken the monthly income of approximately 22,000–33,000 clients in the reception system. In a reception centre that does not provide meals, the reception allowance for a person living alone will fall from 348.50 euros to 300 euros per month, for an adult living in a shared household from 294.42 euros to 254 euros, for a single parent from 348.50 euros to 336 euros, for a child aged 10–17 from 222.32 euros to 210 euros, and for a child under 10 from 222.32 euros to 191 euros. In centres that provide meals, the sums will decrease correspondingly (for example, from 102.15 euros to 88 euros for a person living alone). The spending allowance for an unaccompanied child will decrease to 26 or 47 euros per month depending on age. The change is estimated to generate savings for the state of approximately 6.9 million euros in 2024 and 9.2 million euros in 2025.
How Parliament voted
2nd reading · 27 Jun 2024Parliament passed the act by 108–59.
The Centre voted with the government. 32 MPs were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. Point at a dot to see the MP. Seats follow the current seating plan (updated 18 Sep 2026). 15 MPs who voted are not in the current seating plan.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 5 Jul 2024.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
38 speeches · 4 debates
Key points of the debate
Parliament debated the temporary reduction of the reception allowance and spending allowance paid to asylum seekers, beneficiaries of temporary protection and victims of human trafficking. The government parties considered the cuts justified as fiscal consolidation measures and highlighted the overall package of reception services. The opposition strongly opposed the proposal, arguing that it undermines a dignified life and drives Ukrainian families with children in particular into food queues.
- Is the reduced reception allowance sufficient to secure a dignified life and indispensable subsistence?
- Does the cut fall disproportionately on Ukrainians who have fled the war and their families with children?
- Will the proposal generate real savings for public finances, or will costs rise through other problems?
- National Coalition PartyIn favour
The National Coalition Party supported the proposal as a necessary part of fiscal consolidation measures and considered setting the reception allowance at the minimum required by EU directives and the Constitution to be proportionate.
”Talous on maassamme huonossa kunnossa, ja se vaatii toimenpiteitä myös tällä alueella. EU:n minimi on hyvä raja, jota kannatan tässä tilanteessa.”
— Juha Hänninen - Finns PartyIn favour
The Finns Party supported the proposal as part of central government savings and pointed out that, alongside monetary support, the reception system also provides free accommodation as well as health and social services.
”Esitys on osa julkisen talouden tasapainottamiseksi tehtäviä toimenpiteitä, joihin kaikkien tulee osallistua.”
— Mari Rantanen - Social DemocratsAgainst
The Social Democrats opposed the proposal, regarding the cut combined with index freezes as an unreasonable blow to the most vulnerable, especially children and families who have fled the war in Ukraine.
”Kyse on merkittävästä leikkauksesta heikossa asemassa olevilta ihmisiltä.”
— Eemeli Peltonen - Centre PartyAgainst
The Centre Party criticised the bill and questioned its financial benefits, warning that excessively low support increases crime risks and raises the overall costs of immigration administration.
”Tässähän moni lausunnonantaja on pitänyt mahdollisena sitä, että tämä johtaa rikollisuuden kasvuun, kun sitä rahaa on liian vähän käytettävissä.”
— Petri Honkonen - GreensAgainst
The Greens opposed the proposal, noting that it deepens child poverty and makes life harder especially for single-parent families and unaccompanied children.
”Vastaanottorahan leikkaukset osuvat erityisen kipeästi lapsiperheisiin, joiden toimeentulo on nytkin niukkaa.”
— Inka Hopsu - Left AllianceAgainst
The Left Alliance opposed the cut as an inhumane and ideological measure that pushes the level of support below the indispensable subsistence threshold and increases refugees' reliance on breadlines.
”Minusta on suoraan sanoen häpeällistä, että Suomen kaltaisessa maassa tänne sotaa paenneet ukrainalaiset seisovat ruoka-apujonoissa.”
— Li Andersson
This digest was generated by AI from 38 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.
Asian käsittelyä ei jatkettu.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin hallintovaliokuntaan, jolle perustuslakivaliokunnan on annettava lausunto.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi. Eduskunta hyväksyi hallituksen esitykseen HE 28/2024 vp sisältyvän lakiehdotuksen sisällön mietinnön mukaisena. Lakiehdotuksen ensimmäinen käsittely päättyi.
Keskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 18 Apr 2024Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Sisäministeriö
- 2 May 2024Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 13 Jun 2024Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · hallintovaliokunta
- 18 Jun 2024Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 28 Jun 2024Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 28 Jun 2024Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki kansainvälistä suojelua hakevan vastaanotosta sekä ihmiskaupan uhrin tunnistamisesta ja auttamisesta annetun lain väliaikaisesta muuttamisestaHyväksytty muutettuna · 466/2024 · 5 Jul 2024
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki kansainvälistä suojelua hakevan vastaanotosta sekä ihmiskaupan uhrin tunnistamisesta ja auttamisesta annetun lain 20 ja 21 §:n väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti muutetaan väliaikaisesti kansainvälisistä suojelua hakevan vastaanotosta sekä ihmiskaupan uhrin tunnistamisesta ja auttamisesta annetun lain (746/2011) 20 §:n 2 momentti ja 21 §:n 2 momentti seuraavasti:
20 §Vastaanottorahan määrä
Vastaanottorahan perusosa kuukautta kohti on:
1) yksin asuvalla 300 euroa, ateriapalvelut tarjoavassa vastaanottokeskuksessa 88 euroa;
2) muulla kuin 1 kohdassa tarkoitetulla 18 vuotta täyttäneellä 254 euroa, ateriapalvelut tarjoavassa vastaanottokeskuksessa 72 euroa;
3) perheensä kanssa asuvalla 10‒17-vuotiaalla lapsella 210 euroa, ateriapalvelut tarjoavassa vastaanottokeskuksessa 60 euroa;
4) perheensä kanssa asuvalla alle 10-vuotiaalla lapsella 191 euroa, ateriapalvelut tarjoavassa vastaanottokeskuksessa 57 euroa;
5) yksinhuoltajalla 336 euroa, ateriapalvelut tarjoavassa vastaanottokeskuksessa 97 euroa.
21 §Käyttöraha
Ilman huoltajaa olevan alle 16-vuotiaan lapsen käyttöraha kuukautta kohti on 26 euroa ja 16 vuotta täyttäneen 47 euroa. Käyttöraha voi olla myös tätä pienempi, jos se on perusteltua lapsen ikä ja kehitystaso huomioon ottaen.
§
Tämä laki tulee voimaan päivänä kuuta 20 ja on voimassa 31 päivään joulukuuta 2025.
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 25 Aug 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.