Kela AE 1e (03.25) — Application for Housing Allowance for Pensioners

What is Kela AE 1e - housing allowance for pensioners?

Form AE 1e is the English application for housing allowance for pensioners (eläkkeensaajan asumistuki) from Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. It is for people living permanently in Finland on a low income who get a qualifying pension, such as an old-age or disability pension, a rehabilitation subsidy, the guarantee pension or a spouse's pension. Both spouses can apply on the same form.

The same form is used to apply for the first time, for the regular review (Kela reviews the allowance every two years), and for a review when something changes: a move, housing costs, the people living in the home, care in an institution, family, income or assets. It asks about you and your spouse side by side: income, bank deposits and other assets, debts, the home, anyone else living there and the housing costs.

FileIt guides you through AE 1e in plain English, with your spouse's questions shown only if you have one, and prints your answers into Kela's own PDF, edition 03.25. It checks personal identity codes and IBANs and writes amounts the Finnish way (12 500,50). Names and addresses with any European letters print correctly. If your spouse applies too, both signature boxes can be sent for e-signature. You send the form to Kela yourself, because FileIt never submits anything.

Who needs to fill out Kela AE 1e - housing allowance for pensioners?

• A pensioner on a low income who rents a home, or pays a maintenance charge or housing costs for their own home, and wants help with the costs.
• A couple where one or both spouses get a pension and apply together on one form.
• Someone already getting the allowance who is due for the regular review, or whose circumstances have changed.
• A pensioner who has moved to Finland and hasn't claimed from Kela before (also complete form Y 77e).

When to use Kela AE 1e - housing allowance for pensioners

• As soon as you get a qualifying pension and have housing costs. The allowance can be granted for at most 6 calendar months back from the date of the application.
• When Kela asks you to apply for the regular review. Kela says it stops paying if the review application doesn't arrive by the deadline.
• Whenever something changes: you move, your rent or housing costs change, someone moves in or out, you or your spouse go into institutional care, or your family, income or assets change.

What you need before you start

• Your and your spouse's personal identity codes, names, phone numbers and bank accounts (IBAN).
• Your address, postal code, postal district and the municipality of the home.
• Your rental agreement (unless your landlord reports it to Kela electronically) and the rent or maintenance charge, with water, electricity, heating and other payments.
• The amounts in your bank accounts, with account statements showing the balances and interest rates.
• Details of other income and assets: pensions from abroad, rental income, capital gains, shares, funds, crypto, real estate and forest.
• Loan statements from the creditor for housing and other loans.
• The names, identity codes and contributions of anyone else who lives with you, and any subtenant's rental agreement.

What’s on Kela AE 1e - housing allowance for pensioners

The 2025 edition has 6 pages. FileIt asks for it in 16 parts, and it is signed by Applicant and Spouse:

1. 1 ApplicantApplicant
2. 2 SpouseApplicant
3. 3 Hospital or other institutional careApplicant
4. 4 Payment detailsApplicant
5. Spouse also applies (sections 4-5)Spouse
6. 5 Application and notification of changesApplicant
7. 6 IncomeApplicant
8. 7 AssetsApplicant
9. 8 DebtApplicant
10. 9 Residential detailsApplicant
11. 10 Other persons sharing the residenceApplicant
12. 11 Housing costsApplicant
13. 12 EnclosuresApplicant
14. 13 Additional informationApplicant
15. 14 Signature and 15 helperApplicant
16. Amounts as printed (calculated)Applicant

How to fill out Kela AE 1e - housing allowance for pensioners, step by step

1 1-2. Applicant and spouse

Your identity code, name, phone and the address of the home (your new address if you are about to move). Then your spouse's details, whether you live together, and if not, since when and why.

2 3-4. Institutional care and payment details

Say whether you or your spouse have been in hospital or other institutional care lasting at least three months, with the time and place. Give your bank account, whether the allowance and any back pay go to you or to the landlord, and the landlord's name, bank account and reference number if they get it.

3 5. Application and changes

Tick whether you apply for housing allowance (with the start date), a regular review or a review. If your spouse applies too, tick the same for your spouse. Then tick each change that has happened or will happen, with the date it starts.

4 6. Income

Tick your and your spouse's types of income. Kela and authorised pension providers' benefits need not be listed. Say whether you are self-employed (and your estimated monthly income if you have no YEL or MYEL insurance), whether a pension or benefit you applied for isn't paid yet, and whether your income will change in the next 6 months.

5 7-8. Assets and debt

The funds in your accounts, the types of other assets, any changes since the last final tax assessment, rights of possession to assets you don't own, assets sold or given away in the past five years, and whether you have housing loans or other debt.

6 9-11. The home, other residents and housing costs

The type of home (rental, part-ownership, right-of-occupancy or owner-occupied), the date you moved in, the owner, and whether the whole home is yours to use. Say whether rooms are rented out and who else lives there. For housing costs give the building's age, the rent or maintenance charge, and what you pay separately for electricity, heating, water and extras. For a single-family house you own, give any ground rent.

7 12-15. Enclosures, additional information and signature

Tick the documents you enclose, add anything else in section 13 with the section number, and sign. Your spouse signs too if applying. Give the reason if someone else signs for you, and the name and phone number of anyone who helped.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving out the spouse's income and assets. The form asks for them even when only one spouse applies.
• Waiting too long: the allowance is granted at most 6 calendar months back.
• Forgetting the account statements for bank deposits on a first application.
• Asking for payment to the landlord without the landlord's bank account and reference number.
• Not reporting a change in rent, residents or income, which the form is also for.

After you fill it out

Check the PDF and sign section 14. Your spouse signs too if also applying. Sign on paper, or use FileIt's optional e-signature before uploading.

Send the application and enclosures by post to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA, or file them online at www.kela.fi/english. FileIt doesn't submit it for you.

Kela says the allowance is paid on the 4th of each month. Keep your copy in the vault for the next two-yearly review.

Kela AE 1e - housing allowance for pensioners: frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela): https://www.kela.fi/benefit-forms/AE1e.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://www.kela.fi/housing-allowance-for-pensioners
• Edition shown on this page: AE 1e 03.25 (checked 2026-09-28).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kansaneläkelaitos / Kela) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

Related forms

All Finland forms · Every form FileIt can fill