Unemployment periods have become longer in recent years, and more and more KOKO fund members are reaching the maximum period for which earnings-related unemployment allowance can be paid. The trend has been increasing since 2021, but accelerated sharply towards the end of 2024.
Earnings-related unemployment allowance can be paid for 300, 400 or 500 days, depending on the person’s age and the length of their employment history. When the maximum days are reached, the person can next apply for a labour market subsidy from Kela.
Trends and recent changes in the number of members reaching the maximum days of allowance
In July 2025, payment of earnings-related unemployment allowance ended for 204 members, which is 113 more than the year before. Since the start of 2025, an average of 171 members per month have reached the maximum days which the allowance can be paid.
In 2021, the average number of members that reached the maximum days was 60 per month. The numbers increased the following year and spiked in August 2022, when 246 members reached the maximum days of unemployment allowance. The spike was largely due to the fact that the caps on the number of days of allowance, which had been put on hold during the pandemic, were resumed at the start of 2021.
From 2023 onwards, the figures have stabilised at a level higher than previously of 80 to 100 members per month. In 2024, the monthly number rose to over 100 members on several occasions.
Unemployment rate of members has fluctuated
Over the same period, the calculated unemployment rate of KOKO members has fluctuated significantly. In 2021, unemployment rate among members fell from 6.1% to 3.2%, but has risen again since 2023. In the first half of 2025, unemployment rate among members stood at 4.0% on average.
The KOKO fund currently covers 280,000 members. More than 10,000 members receive a daily allowance each month.
For more information on employment trends among our members, see our latest statistics release (in Finnish only): Statistics