News of the week in plain Finnish | Saturday 21.3.2026

Complaints about disability services

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Topic of the week

This week’s topic is complaints about disability services.

There are now many more complaints about disability services in welfare areas than before.

One reason is the new Disability Services Act.

We will now explain why complaints have increased and what experts say.

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Disability services can include support for mobility, for example. Photo: Juho Teir / Yle

Right to support

People with disabilities have the right to receive support in everyday life.

Support can include personal assistance, transportation services, or housing support.

Help is sought from the welfare area.

If the welfare district does not provide assistance, i.e. makes a negative decision, the person can appeal to the administrative court.

Complaints

The welfare areas began operating in 2023.

Since then, complaints about disability services have increased significantly.

In many administrative courts, the number of complaints has even doubled.

The number of complaints increased further last year, when the new Disability Services Act came into force.

The purpose of the law is to support equality for people with disabilities.

In practice, however, negative decisions on aid have increased.

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Professor of Disability Studies Hisayo Katsui says that welfare areas want to save money through the law. Photo: Janne Lindroos / Yle

Savings

Professor Hisayo Katsui of the University of Helsinki has been researching disability issues for over 25 years.

He says that welfare districts are using the new law to save money.

Welfare areas are reducing services and therefore complaints are increasing.

Visually impaired Timo Pulkkinen

Yle met Timo Pulkkinen, a visually impaired person who lives in Varkaus.

Pulkkinen is 73 years old.

He has received many negative decisions from the North Savo welfare region.

For example, the glass doors of Pulkkinen’s shower cubicle broke in the autumn. That’s why you can’t go into the shower cubicle.

The wellness area does not repair the shower stall.

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Timo Pulkkinen, who is visually impaired, is disappointed with the welfare area’s decision. The welfare area will not repair the shower stall that broke. Photo: Toni Pitkänen / Yle

Interpretation of the law

Most disability service complaints are dismissed in administrative courts.

In that case, the negative decision of the welfare area remains in effect, meaning the person remains without service.

Yle asked the North Savo welfare region whether it would use the new law to save money.

The welfare department replied that it does not, but admitted that the law is now interpreted more strictly than before.

Welfare areas plan to save over 200 million euros on services for the elderly and disabled this year.

Repetition

This week’s topic was complaints about disability services.

The number of complaints has doubled.

The expert says that welfare districts are using the new law to save money.

The welfare regions deny the claim, but they admit that the interpretation of the law has become stricter.

This was the news of the week in plain Finnish. See you again, bye!