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Client fees for early childhood education and care will decrease from August onwards

Ministry of Education and Culture
Publication date 18.1.2021 12.30 | Published in English on 18.1.2021 at 15.12
News item

The Government's proposal to amend the Act on Client Fees in Early Childhood Education and Care (1052/2020) was adopted in December 2020. The amendments to the Act will enter into force on 1 August 2021.

Client fees for early childhood education will be reduced by raising the income thresholds on which the fees are based by 31%. In addition, the fees charged for siblings will be lowered to 40% (instead of the current 50%) of the imputed full-time early childhood education and care fee for the youngest child.

Monthly client fees for full-time early childhood education and care as of 1 August 2021

The payment percentages and income thresholds are:

Family size, persons Income threshold, EUR/month Highest rate of payment 
2 2 798 10,70
3 3 610 10,70
4 4 099 10,70
5 4 588 10,70
6 5 075 10,70

The purpose is to improve employment and to increase the participation rate in early childhood education and care. The client fees for early childhood education and care of low-income and middle-income families, in particular, will decrease. All families with more than one child in early childhood education and care will also benefit from the change in the sibling discount. As a result of the legislative amendment, approximately 20,000 families will be entitled to free early childhood education and care.

Inquiries: 
Anne-Marie Brisson, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 2953 30079
Tarja Kahiluoto, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 2953 30386

You can use the online calculator (only in Finnish and Swedish) to calculate your new client fees for early childhood education and care 

Early childhood education and care