End of an Era: KELA Ends Paper Letters to Cut Costs

Kela is officially phasing out automatic paper mail for millions of residents starting January 15, 2026, said the agency in a press statement. If you use the online service OmaKela, you will no longer receive decision letters in your physical mailbox by default.

The agency will now send documents exclusively to your digital folder. This applies to everyone who has logged into OmaKela and provided a phone number or email address.

You will receive an alert as soon as a new document is available. This notification will come through Suomi.fi messages, email, or SMS.

This transition is part of a major legal reform passed in November 2025. The goal is to make communication faster and reduce the environmental impact of printing millions of pages.

However, you will not be left behind if you do not use computers. Kela confirmed that customers who do not use OmaKela will still receive their letters by post.

You can also restore paper mail if you prefer physical copies. To do this, you must change your settings inside the OmaKela portal or contact customer service directly.

There are specific exceptions to this new rule. Certain sensitive documents, such as those regarding survivors’ pensions or death estates, will still be sent on paper. Payment vouchers for social assistance will also remain physical.

This shift follows a significant decline in traditional mail usage. In 2025, Kela delivered 9 million letters electronically compared to just 6 million on paper. The agency estimates this saved 6 million euros in printing and mailing costs last year alone.

Towards a digital future

Finland has been aggressively pushing for a “digital-first” public sector for several years. The new Act on the Primacy of Electronic Services and Communication is forcing many government agencies to abandon paper to streamline bureaucracy.

Economic factors are also driving this change. Posti, the Finnish postal service, has steadily increased prices while reducing delivery frequency in recent years. Moving to digital delivery allows Kela to bypass these rising costs and avoid the delays often associated with physical mail in Finland.