Housing repairs are also subsidised with direct grants. Since 1949, more than 820,000 new homes have been constructed with State housing loans. State interest subsidies for bank housing loans were introduced in the early 1980s as an alternative to State housing loans. Housing support is primarily allocated directly to households, with a view to reducing their housing expenditure. In order to secure a stock of affordable housing and to generate employment, funds are also channelled into housing construction and renovation.
Every effort is made to ensure that production subsidies benefit the occupant.
A specific State guarantee scheme is available for home loans. The general housing allowance is the most important of Finland's three housing allowance schemes. The other two systems are the pensioner's housing allowance and the students' housing supplement, which are parts of the national pension and student support systems.