Service id: 7607
Service title: Supplementary or preventive social assistance
Service headline: You can receive supplementary or preventive social assistance from the city if it is determined that it will prevent financial distress or if you have specific needs requiring support. Social assistance serves as a last resort economic aid and is subject to means-testing. Kela is responsible for providing basic social assistance, which covers essential everyday expenses such as housing and food.
Service description: In addition to that, municipalities can also grant preventive and supplementary social assistance. The purpose of preventive social assistance is to prevent marginalisation and long-term reliance on social support. Supplementary social assistance may be granted to individuals with special needs, such as severe illness or a prolonged requirement for social assistance. If you are already receiving social assistance, you can apply for supplementary social assistance to obtain additional support for needs like setting up a home, baby supplies, children's hobbies, study materials or trustee fees. In the event of a sudden and significant deterioration in your financial situation, endangering your social security and independence along with your family's, you can apply for preventive social assistance. To apply for assistance, you have the option to either use Maisa or submit a paper form. You can contact the Benefit Handling Counselling service to inquire about applying for assistance and payments.
Service target groups: Individuals

There are 2 errand services linked to this service:

Errand service type: Making an application
Errand service name: Supplementary or preventive social assistance application
Errand service description: Supplementary or preventive social assistance application
Errand service process description: Residents of Helsinki who have a valid basic social assistance decision from Kela can apply for supplementary social assistance online. 1. Please have a look at the application questions in advance. 2. For more information on supplementary social assistance, please refer to this page: Täydentävä toimeentulotuki (Supplementary social assistance, in Finnish). You will only need to supply the appendices or additional clarifications related to the supplementary social assistance in the application. 3. Please make sure you have all the required documents available in electronic form before you begin filling out the form. The online application can be saved as a draft if necessary. Appendices cannot be sent at a later time electronically, they can only be submitted later to the Application Reception Service by post to: Hakemusten vastaanotto, PO Box 6032, 00099 City of Helsinki. 4. The maximum number of application appendices is 15 and the maximum file size of an appendix is 2 MB. 5. When you have submitted your application, you will receive a notification stating: 'Application sent'. After a moment, you will receive another notification stating: 'Your form was successfully submitted. It is stored in your services folder under the number xxxxx.' 6. Applications can only be cancelled by calling the service number for benefit processing (Mon-Fri 9 am-12 noon; Finnish: 09 3105 6257, Swedish: 09 3104 4967). 7. The application process ends once a decision is made. Decisions are sent by post. 8. You can monitor the process of your application by checking the Status column in your services folder.
Errand service processing time: Applications will typically be processed within 7 working days, if all the information required for the decision is available.
Errand service target groups: Individuals
Errand service link title: Supplementary and preventive social assistance
Errand service link URL: https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/socia-health/socia-support/income-support
Contact channel type: Printable form
Contact channel name: Printable application for supplementary or preventive social assistance
Contact channel link title: Go to Omaolo
Contact channel link URL: https://www.omaolo.fi/palvelut/terveystarkastus?lang=en

Contact channel type: E-services
Contact channel name: Electronic application in Maisa
Contact channel prerequisites: 
Contact channel link title: Go to Omaolo
Contact channel link URL: https://www.omaolo.fi/palvelut/terveystarkastus?lang=en

Errand service type: Providing advice
Errand service name: Benefit handling counselling
Errand service description: Supplementary and preventive social assistance and death grants.
Errand service target groups: Individuals
Contact channel type: Telephone
Contact channel name: Benefit handling counselling in Finnish
Contact channel availability: Open Mon-Fri 09-12
Contact channel phone number: 09 3105 6257 
Contact channel call charge: toll free

Contact channel type: Telephone
Contact channel name: Benefit handling counselling in Swedish
Contact channel availability: Open Mon-Fri 09-12
Contact channel phone number: 09 3104 4967 
Contact channel call charge: toll free