Middle-aged Estonian living in a van in Finland considers moving back home

Finland, long considered a success story in reducing homelessness, is seeing the problem grow again. Rising living costs, benefit cuts, and expensive rents are pushing more people to the margins — including a middle-aged Estonian man who has been living in a van in Helsinki.

Finland was once held up as a European model for tackling homelessness, but according to Helsingin Sanomat, the crisis is making a comeback. Rising costs of living, cuts to social benefits, an unstable job market, and soaring rents are combining to put more people on the street or in makeshift accommodation.

Among those affected is a middle-aged Estonian man who has been living in a van in Finland. Despite the difficult circumstances, he says he has not given up hope — but he has been seriously considering moving back to Estonia to live with his mother.

His story reflects a broader trend highlighted in the Finnish newspaper: homelessness is no longer just a problem for the most vulnerable in society. Economic pressures are now pushing people from a wide range of backgrounds into precarious housing situations.

Finland built its reputation on a "Housing First" policy that prioritised giving homeless people stable accommodation before addressing other issues such as addiction or unemployment. That approach won international acclaim, but experts now warn that structural economic changes are outpacing the system's capacity to help.

For Estonians living and working in Finland — the country's closest labour market neighbour — the situation adds another layer of uncertainty. The Estonian man's consideration of returning home underscores how the dream of a better life abroad can sometimes come undone by forces beyond an individual's control.