Finland Times

More than 400,000 individuals received unemployment benefits at the end of last year. The figure is nearly 50,000 more than the previous year’s figure.

The last time the number of people receiving unemployment benefits was such high was back in 1998.

Last year, approximately 12 per cent of people of working age received unemployment benefits from the national pension insurance-Kela and unemployment funds.

The majority of unemployment benefit recipients came from eastern and northern Finland.

Over 21 per cent of people of working age received unemployment benefits in Suomussalmi, Lieksa and Tohmajärvi.

Unemployment funds paid earning related benefits to around 180,000 people at the end of last year.

On the other hand, Kela paid unemployment benefits to around 180,000 people.