More EU Nationals Getting Social Benefits from Finland
Image: YLE
Officials in Finland report a growing number of EU nationals who’ve been unsuccessful in finding work in Finland, and have resorted to receiving social benefits.
In Helsinki in particular, the number of such residents increased in 2009. Social service workers say that the basis for granting benefits to such applicants is unclear and that no consistent guidelines exist.
In 2007, the number of non-Finnish EU nationals receiving income benefits in Helsinki amounted to 1,000. Last year 1,500 received income benefits in Helsinki, 900 of them from Estonia. Other recipients came from the Baltic States and southern Europe—with high unemployment rates in Spain, Portugal and Italy driving the number of newcomers from those countries.
The phenomenon is not quite so marked outside of the capital city. In Espoo and Vantaa non-Finnish EU nationals receiving income benefits number only in the dozens—there are no official figures. In other parts of Finland, recipients of benefits with the same profile are even fewer.
Social service workers say in addition to unclear grounds for granting income benefits, there are no clear guidelines from the state on the matter. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Social Services says it’s setting up a working group to look into the issue.
Current legislation provides housing and income support for those in need, but immigration law does not provide for continuous income benefits for residents from other countries. There have been cases where other EU nationals have been denied such support.
However, clear cases of wrongdoing may not always be brought to the police, for fear of confidentiality breaches.
YLE