Beneficiaries of international and temporary protection and their family members can apply for free translation assistance from their local authorities. 

This compensation is paid up to €3,200 per family or €1,600 per person living alone for two years. 

You can apply for benefits for handling your affairs at your local authority, doctor's surgery, public authorities, schools and elsewhere. 

Read more about this on the website of the Social Insurance Board.  

Allowance for the unemployed

Unemployment allowance

You are entitled to unemployment benefit if:

• you have registered as unemployed in the Unemployment Insurance Fund;
• you have worked for at least 180 days in the year before becoming unemployed;
• your monthly income is less than 31 times the daily rate of unemployment benefit (€362.70).

Find out more on the Unemployment Insurance Fund website or call (+372) 777 3000.

Unemployment insurance benefit

Unemployment insurance benefit is paid to a person who has paid unemployment insurance contributions for at least 12 months in the last three years and who has not left work on their own initiative, upon agreement with the employer or due to his or her wrongful behaviour. You will receive a benefit within 60 percent of your average remuneration per calendar day for the first 100 days of receiving the benefit, and 40 per cent per each calendar day thereafter.

Find out more on the Unemployment Insurance Fund website or call (+372) 777 3000. 

Health insurance

The costs of treatment for people with national health insurance are covered by the Health Insurance Fund if the treatment provider is their contractual partner. 

Beneficiaries of international protection and temporary protection and persons staying in Estonia on the basis of a work permit, for whom social tax is paid and those who pay it for themselves, are entitled to health insurance in Estonia.

In addition to working people, unemployed persons registered with the Unemployment Insurance Fund are also health insurance. 

According to the Estonian Population Register, children living in Estonia, pregnant women, dependent spouses, people with partial or no work capacity, pensioners, students, one parent raising a child under the age of three, three or more children under the age of 19, at least one of whom is under the age of 8, are treated as insured persons. 

You can check the validity of your health insurance on the state portal eesti.ee in the service "Current account and data in the Health Insurance Fund" and by calling the Health Insurance Fund hotline (+372) 669 6630..

Read more about health insurance on the Health Insurance Fund website.. 

Dental care

Everyone living in Estonia has the right to free emergency dental care, whether they have health insurance or not. 

The dental benefit for adults with health insurance is €60 (50% co-payment). 

The dental allowance for people with increased dental needs is €105 - this includes pregnant women, mothers of children under one year old, disabled pensioners and old-age pensioners (co-payment 15%).. 

In order to receive the benefit, the service provider must be a contractual partner of the Health Insurance Fund.

The Health Insurance Fund recommends that people in need of dental care should consider reviewing the eligibility criteria for higher dental benefits and free dental care. It often happens that people are entitled to a higher dental benefit but they or their family doctor were not aware of this..

You can find out more about the Health Insurance Fund's dental services on this website. 

At the University of Tartu dental students' dental clinic, services are free or discounted. The treatment provided by the students is supervised by a supervising lecturer. Read more about this on the website of the University of Tartu Dental Clinic.

Benefits for people with disabilities

In order to establish the severity of disability and apply for a social allowance for a person with a disability, children up to the age of 15 and people of old-age pension age (from the age of 64) you must submit an application to the Social Insurance Board. Working-age people (aged 16-64) can submit an application for an assessment of their capacity for work and the degree of disability to the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund.

If the medical condition meets the conditions for disability, the type of disability, the degree of severity and the social benefit are determined. The severity of the disability is established for a period of six months to five years. 

The social allowance is granted for a person with a disability until the date of expiry of the temporary protection status. If the temporary protection is extended or a residence permit is obtained after that date, the allowance will continue to be paid.

Read about how to apply for social benefits for a person with a disability on the website of the Social Insurance Board. 

Care services

Long-term care is intended for people who need special support to cope with everyday life. People with very high care needs often have an unavoidable necessity for a 24-hour general care service, or nursing home. It is the responsibility of local authorities to organise care for the elderly.

Read more about it here.

Childbirth allowance

The childbirth allowance is a one-time payment for each family to which a child is born. The amount of the allowance is €320. In the case of triplets and multiples, the benefit is €1,000 per child, for example €3,000 for triplets. Read more here.

Parental benefit

Shared parental benefit

Parental benefit is paid for up to 475 days from the child's 31st day of life until the child reaches the age of three. The amount of the benefit depends on the amount of social contributions you paid in the year before the pregnancy (from €725 to €4733).. 

The parental benefit is a shared entitlement between the parents: it is up to them to decide which of them will receive the benefit and it is possible to change the beneficiary several times during the period..

Read more about this on the website of the Social Insurance Board. 

Parental benefit is paid to a parent who arrives in Estonia with a child under one-and-a-half years of age and is paid at a rate of €725 per month for up to 545 days, or 18 months. The exact number of days of parental benefit depends on the age of the child and the start date of the parent's residence permit. Parental benefit is accompanied by sickness insurance.

You can read more about family benefits for Ukrainians on the website of the Social Insurance Board. 

Maternity parental benefit

A working mother is entitled to a parental benefit of at least €725 up to €4,733 for 70 days before and 30 days after the birth of the child (the amount of the benefit depends on the mother's previous salary). A mother who is not working receives parental benefit from the birth of the child (see previous section).

Read more about this on the website of the Social Insurance Board.

Father's parental benefit

Each father is entitled to a benefit of at least €725 to €4,733 for 30 days (the exact amount of the benefit depends on the father's previous salary), which can be used from just before the expected date of birth until the child is three years old. 

Read more about this on the website of the Social Insurance Board. 

Child benefit

Every child is entitled to child benefit from birth until the age of 19. The amount of child benefit is €80 per month for the first child, €80 for the second child and €100 for the third  and €100 for each additional child. A supplementary allowance of €450 per month is paid for families with three or more children and €650 per month for families with seven or more children. Children are entitled to child benefit until the age of 19.

Read more about family benefits for Ukrainians on the website of the Social Insurance Board. 

Single parent child allowance

The single-parent allowance is paid for the same period as the child benefit if the child's birth certificate does not contain any information on the child's father or if the child's other parent has been declared officially wanted. The amount of the single parent's allowance is €80 per month. 

Read more about it here. 

Legal aid

The state will pay up to €200 a month for a child whose parent(s) do not meet the conditions of maintenance. Child support can be claimed during court proceedings, enforcement proceedings and bankruptcy proceedings.

Read more about it here. 

For war refugees who have been granted temporary protection, their pensions are passed on by the Pension Office of Ukraine. If you are of pensionable age (born in 1960 or earlier) and your Ukrainian pension is lower than the Estonian national pension, you can apply to the Social Insurance Board to cover the gap, and the difference between the two pensions will be paid into your bank account each month. The national pension rate changes every year. Read more about it here.

Estonia will not cover the payment of Ukrainian pensions, even if a war refugee in Estonia does not receive his Ukrainian pension here for some reason. Ukraine cannot transfer pensions directly to Estonian accounts. 

If you do not qualify for an old-age pension at retirement age due to lack of pensionable service and you have lived in Estonia for at least five years, you are entitled to an Estonian national pension. 

Reaching Retirement Age

To qualify for an old-age pension, a person must have reached the retirement age and have at least 15 years of pensionable service. In 2024, the retirement age is 64 years and 9 months. From 2027 onwards, the retirement age will depend on the average life expectancy. The calculation of the retirement age will be based on the life expectancy of 65-year-olds according to the data from the Statistics Estonia. Based on this data, the government will establish a new retirement age each year by 1 January, which will take effect two years later.

To receive a pension, you need to express your intention to retire. The pension application should be submitted to the Social Insurance Board in a timely manner, along with the necessary supporting documents.

You can find the documents required for applying for a pension here.

Reimbursement of housing costs 

The maximum amount of the One-time compensation of rental costs for beneficiaries of temporary protection or international protection is €1,200, which can cover one month's rent, broker's commission and deposit. When applying for the allowance, you will need to present the rental contract and proof of expenses if you have incurred any costs related to the accommodation.. 

Find out more about the compensation of rental costs from the Social Insurance Board website.

Real estate portals and home rentals

Real estate portals in Estonia: 

KV.ee

Kinnisvara24

City24

Rendin

If you are interested in renting, please post your interest in the Facebook group. “Ukraina sõbrad Eestis” ja “Üürikorterid ilma maaklerita”, “Üürikorterid OTSE OMANIKULT”, “ÜÜRIKORTERID OTSE OMANIKULT”, “Üürikorterid Tallinnas/Harjumaal”. Note, that there are also other Facebook groups for real estate listings.

Make sure you sign a rental contract to rent a place to live. This will ensure that the rights and obligations of both parties are clear, and will protect you in the event of an unfortunate situation. If you are paying money in advance or paying the rent in cash, make sure you have a written confirmation that the money has been paid.

Livelihoods allowance

A person is eligible for income support if they have €200 a month left over after paying their housing costs, i.e., rent and utilities. 

The income limit for the second and each subsequent adult member of the family is €160 per month. The subsistence threshold for minors is €240 per month. A recipient of subsistence allowance whose family members are all minors is entitled to a supplementary social allowance of €15, paid by the local authority, in addition to the subsistence allowance.

If you are renting accommodation and also have to pay housing costs, you will need to enclose a tenancy agreement and supporting documents with your application.

If you live in a place where you don't have to pay rent but you do have to pay housing costs, you will need to submit a contract allowing you to use the accommodation and documents, such as bills, in addition to your application.

Read more about the subsistence allowance on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and on kriis.ee. 

The Social Welfare Act regulates the payment of income support.

Tallinn Social Work Centre

The Soup kitchen (Supiköök)  is open for anyone who has financial difficulties and is struggling to pay for meals and, as a result, to provide warm food for themselves and their families.  

The Soup Kitchen is located at Pae 19/1, Lasnamäe. You can get a hot meal (0.5 litres of soup and 100 grams of bread) every day between 12:00-15:00 

From time to time, hygiene products (e.g. toothbrushes and toothpaste) are also distributed to service recipients.

Read more about the Tallinn Social Work Centre on their website. 

If you are unable to buy food, be sure to contact the social worker in the municipality where you live. 

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army distributes food and clothing to all those in need in Tallinn and Narva. Read more on the Salvation Army website. 

If you are unable to afford food, please contact the social worker in the municipality where you live. 

Estonian Food Bank

At the distribution points of the Estonian Food Bank, food aid is provided on the basis of lists drawn up by social workers. To apply for assistance, please contact the social assistance department of the district government where you live.. 

Read more on the Estonian Food Bank website.

Food aid card 

People who receive social or subsistence benefits are entitled to a food aid card. It is not applied for separately, but is included with the above benefits if the social worker has assessed that it is necessary. 

The food aid card is loaded with €30 per person per quarter. One food aid card is issued per family, on which the amount of the allowance for the whole household is entered. The card can only be used to buy food and basic necessities..

Read more about the food aid card on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs 

The charity Aarete Laegas helps families in difficulty with second-hand clothes. The Tallinn charity shop is located at Kopli 33. Read more on their website. 

The Tallinn Red Cross store Punane Ristik (at Mustamäe tee 8) in Tallinn is offering a 50% discount on clothes for Ukrainians. Read more on their Facebook page. 

Second-hand items are being donated to people in need by the Reuse Centers.

Second-hand shop Friend to Friend donates recycled items to refugees. 

Facebook group Friends of Ukraine in Estonia provides quick help and information, especially for basic needs..

If you are having difficulties buying clothes or other basic necessities, you should contact the social worker in the municipality where you live.