perusprosentti

Perusprosentti is a Finnish term used in public finance and social security to denote the base percentage applied in calculation formulas. The word combines perus- meaning base or fundamental, with prosentti meaning percentage. It is not a single fixed rate; rather, it refers to the percentage defined for a specific purpose by law, regulation, or budget decisions, and it may vary across programs and over time.

In practice, perusprosentti provides a standardized way to scale benefits or charges relative to a reference amount. The reference amount is typically set in legislation or administrative guidelines, and the resulting percentage is used to determine the actual sum paid to a recipient or charged to a payer. Because the base reference is subject to annual indexation and policy changes, the perusprosentti can change from year to year.

Because the concept is administrative and sector-specific, the exact value and application of perusprosentti differ between schemes. It commonly appears in discussions of welfare benefits, pension calculations, unemployment support, and other social security or tax-related calculations, where it helps align payments with policy goals without rewriting the entire formula each year.

Etymology: The word is formed from Finnish perus- meaning base or fundamental and prosentti meaning percent, and is part of the broader Finnish administrative vocabulary describing calculation bases.