Support services for daily living – Institutional care and housing services in social welfare

New institutional and housing services for persons with disabilities, total number of clients unchanged

At the end of 2025, the number of clients in the new services for persons with disabilities accounted for approximately one fifth of the number of clients in the corresponding former services. There were 290 clients in institutional services for persons with intellectual disabilities and 60 clients in institutional services for persons with disabilities.

24-hour service housing for people with intellectual disabilities and for people with severe disabilities covered 11,400 clients, while group‑based housing support with 24‑hour assistance for persons with disabilities covered 1,900 clients.

The total number of year‑end clients in the old and new services for persons with disabilities, totaling 15,800, remained at the same level as the previous year.

From the beginning of 2025, the separate service branches for persons with intellectual disabilities and for persons with severe disabilities are being replaced by shared service branches for persons with disabilities. The transition to the new services includes a three‑year transition period, during which data on the former services are also reported.

The new services include institutional services, group‑based housing support with 24‑hour assistance, and group‑based housing support with part‑time assistance for people with disabilities. Housing support can also be provided in individual dwellings, but these statistics only include services arranged in a group‑based setting.

Number of clients in institutional services for older people decreased by 21 percent in 2025

At the end of 2025, institutional and residential services for older people covered approximately 57,000 clients. The number of clients in institutional services for older people decreased by 21 percent compared with the previous year.

Over the past ten years, the number of clients in institutional services for older people has decreased by 78 percent. By contrast, the number of clients in 24‑hour service housing has increased by 16 percent over the same period.

“The total number of clients in these services has not changed significantly during the same time. What has taken place is a shift from institution‑based services to 24‑hour residential services,” says Lasse Mielikäinen, Senior Planning Office at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

At the end of 2025, services with 24‑hour assistance within social welfare for older people, persons with disabilities and people undergoing mental health rehabilitation covered a total of approximately 68,700 clients, while services with part‑time assistance covered approximately 12,300 clients.

Over the entire year, a total of approximately 113,400 people received services with 24‑hour assistance.

The share of older people using institutional and residential services increases with age

At the end of 2025, 4 percent of people aged 65 or over, 6 percent of those aged 75 or over, and 15 percent of those aged 85 or over lived in 24‑hour service housing.

Among clients aged 85 or over, the proportion of women was significantly higher. Of men of the same age, 11 percent lived in 24‑hour service housing, compared with 17 percent of women.

The old and new service branches within institutional and housing services for persons with disabilities must be examined in parallel

Starting from 2025, information collected for institutional care and housing services in social welfare includes the service branches in institutional services and group‑based housing support for persons with disabilities.

During the three‑year transition period, statistics for the following service branches must be monitored in parallel to maintain a full overview:

• institutional services for persons with intellectual disabilities and institutional services for persons with disabilities
• 24-hour service housing for persons with intellectual disabilities, 24-hour service housing for persons with severe disabilities and group‑based housing support with 24-hour assistance for people with disabilities
• communal housing for people with intellectual disabilities, communal housing for people with severe disabilities and group‑based housing support with part-time assistance for persons with disabilities

About the data in more detail

• Statistics report Institutional care and housing services in social welfare 2025 (in Finnish)
• Indicator data in Sotkanet
• Database report Institutional care and housing services in social Institutional care and housing services in social welfare

Background information

• Quality report (in Finnish)
• Instructions for data submission (in Finnish)
• Data description (Data resources catalogue)
• Privacy notice (in Finnish)

Source

Institutional care and housing services in social welfare 2025
Statistical Report 11/2026, 15.5.2026.
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF). THL.

Description of the statistics

The statistical report on institutional care and housing services in social welfare contains information on clients of institutional care and housing services with 24-hour and part-time assistance.

The statistical data have been collected from public and private institutional services, 24-hour service housing and communal housing for older people and people with intellectual disabilities, from institutional services, group‑based housing support with 24‑hour assistance and with part‑time assistance for persons with disabilities, from 24-hour service housing and communal housing for people with severe disabilities and people undergoing mental health rehabilitation, and from institutional services for people in the special substance abuse and addiction services.

Residential units within institutional services for people in the special substance abuse and addiction services and child welfare institutions are not included.

Data have been collected since 1995. The indicators in Sotkanet present the data by service category, municipality and wellbeing services county. Data are also presented by age group and by type of service provider.

Update schedule

The statistics are updated annually in May.
Statistics publication calendar