In November, the number of recipients of earnings-related allowance at A-kassa was 5% higher than in October. However, the number decreased by a substantial 26% compared to November 2024.
Number of earnings-related allowance recipients up slightly in November
In November, 20,455 members of the Open Unemployment Fund A-kassa received earnings-related allowance, an increase of 5% from October. However, compared to November 2024, the number is down 26%. The number of recipients has remained lower than last year throughout the current year, and the difference has even grown since autumn. While the numbers at A-kassa typically begin to trend up as summer and seasonal work ends, no real upward turn has taken place so far in 2025.
In November, 8.1% of all members received earnings-related allowance, up 0.4 percentage points from October. A year ago, 11.3% of all members received earnings-related allowance, which means that we have seen a decrease of 3.2 percentage points from the previous November. The general unemployment rate in Finland (15–64-year-olds) stood at 9.7%, i.e. 1.5 percentage points higher than a year ago.
Variation in recipient numbers between industries
There is substantial variation in how recipient numbers trend across A-kassa’s member sectors. In the industrial sector, the number of recipients in November decreased by 32.6% from last year. In the construction and paper industries, the numbers saw decreases of 29% and 23%, respectively.
In the transport industry, the decrease in recipient numbers was considerably less aggressive (11.2%). Conversely, the creative industries represented the other side of the spectrum, with recipient numbers rising from the previous year. Among A-kassa members who are in the Union of Journalists in Finland, the number of recipients was 1.3% higher than in November of the previous year. For members of the Finnish Actors Union, the increase was quite substantial, standing at 15.2%.
Number of laid-off persons lower than a year ago
In November, a total of 6,035 members received lay-off period daily allowance, signifying 30% of all earnings-related allowance recipients. Compared to October, their share increased by two percentage points. In November of last year, the number of laid-off persons was considerably higher, totalling 10,528. This means that the decrease from November 2024 amounts to a substantial 43%. Last year, the share of laid-off persons of all earnings-related allowance recipients was likewise higher than this year, standing at 38% at the time. This means that we have seen a decrease of 8 percentage points from last year.
Number of first-time applicants on the rise
We received a total of 28,428 applications for earnings-related allowance in November, up 11% from October. The number of applications has been decreasing since the beginning of the year, with the figures being significantly lower compared to last year. The share of first-time applications of all applications in October and November was markedly higher than in the preceding months. The majority of applications nevertheless continue to be follow-up applications, constituting a share of 61% of all applications in November.
This year, the number of labour market policy statements has decreased considerably from both 2023 and 2024.
Daily allowance payouts trending downward
November’s earnings-related allowance payments totalled 25.3 million euros, up 2.8% from October. The total sum is down 31.3% from November 2024.