Options for statutory days off
As an informal caregiver, you are legally entitled to 2–3 days off during the months when you are paid informal care support.
Days off are meant to support your coping. When you take days off, your loved one can be cared for:
- with the help of a substitute carer
- in a municipal 24-hour care unit
- in city-approved care facilities with a service voucher
- as a service provided at home with a service voucher
- as a service provided at home with an hourly compensation.
Read more about the care options and their costs by clicking on the headers.
As an informal caregiver, you will propose a substitute carer yourself. The substitute carer will provide care either at the home of the care recipient or at the home of the substitute carer.
The substitute carer can be a family member, relative or friend of the care recipient. A company cannot be a substitute carer.
We will conclude a written commission agreement with the substitute carer. The fee for substitute care depends on the care group of the person being cared for and it includes possible compensations for expenses. In 2024, the fees for substitute care are EUR 131,24/day and EUR 65,62/day.
If you want to make use of substitute care during your days off, please contact your designated worker.
Short-term care means that the care recipient is placed in a suitable temporary care facility, matching their needs and functional capacity, for the duration of their informal caregiver’s days off.
There are temporary care places in group homes, family care and other living facilities intended for children, young adults and adults with disabilities.
Short-term care can also be part-time, meaning that it can last for either a day or a night.
Short-term care is subject to a fee of EUR 11.60 for one statutory day off.
Agree on short-term care with your designated worker.
You can also receive a service voucher for short-term care. In this case, you will choose a suitable private care facility from among the service providers approved by the city. You will only make the related copayment.
Explore the service providers in the service provider search of palse.fi.
Select “Helsingin sosiaali-, terveys- ja pelastustoimi” (Helsinki Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services) as the grantor of the service and “Alle 65-vuotiaiden omaishoidon tuen vapaapäiviä korvaava kodin ulkopuolella tapahtuva tilapäishoito” (Temporary care outside the home substituting for the informal care support days off of persons under the age of 65) as the service.
Go to palse.fi(Link leads to external service)
Agree on short-term care with your designated worker.
If you want to arrange your leave as care provided at home, you will receive a service voucher for that purpose. You will only make the related copayment.
In the case of care provided at home, one day of statutory leave equals 12 hours. If you have three statutory leave days per month, you have 36 hours of service available to you per month. If you have two leave days, you have 24 hours of service per month. You can use these hours in periods of your choice.
You will conclude an agreement with a service provider approved by the City of Helsinki. The service provider will invoice you for the hours whenever 12 hours have been used.
Explore the service providers in the service provider search of palse.fi. Select “Helsingin sosiaali-, terveys- ja pelastustoimi” (Helsinki Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services) as the grantor of the service and “Alle 65-vutiaiden omaishoidon tuen kotiin annettava hoito” (Care provided at home in the case of informal care support for persons under the age of 65) as the service.
Go to palse.fi(Link leads to external service)
Agree on care to be provided at home with your designated worker.
You can also arrange your days off by choosing and hiring a suitable person to take care of your loved one. You cannot hire family members.
In the case of care provided at home, one day of statutory leave equals 12 hours. If you have three statutory leave days per month, you have 36 hours of service available to you per month. If you have two leave days, you have 24 hours of service per month.
You can use these hours in periods of your choice. You can use the hours individually, but you cannot accumulate them: they must be used after the month in which the right to leave has been earned. The amount of compensation is EUR 10.44/hour.
Compensation can be granted for the caregiver’s salary costs up to 3 x 12 hours or 2 x 12 hours per month, depending on your entitlement to days off.
Agree on care to be provided at home with your designated worker.
You can also find this page at hel.fi/temporary-care-for-people-receiving-informal-care.