Financial social assistance or cash benefits

Financial social assistance serves either as a substitute for other sources of income, or as a supplement to very low personal incomes. It may also be granted for purposes such as dental- or medical treatment, the need for spectacles, assistive devices in the home, or to cover relocation costs. Assistance for other purposes can be granted according to need, for instance to meet necessary living costs.

All Nordic countries have different rules and regulations on financial social assistance. In the document below you will find a table with comparisons of key features on this part of the social protection policies in the Nordic countries.

The table cover rules from the year 2022 on aspects such as size of granted amounts, local variations, whether the amount is taxable, and whether it is affected by housing costs. Variations within each country are listed in footnotes.

The level of financial social assistance is determined by household income and is subject to tax. The amount of the financial social assistance (cash assistance) depends, among other things, on the recipient’s age, wealth, number of children etc. 

For recipients under the age of 30, the amount of cash assistance also depends on their level of education.  

The individual concerned cannot be awarded cash assistance if they or their spouse have any assets. However, the local authorities can disregard assets worth less than DKK 10 000 per person. It is possible to be awarded cash assistance in the event of, for example, absence due to sickness, unemployment, or dissolution of cohabitation. However, if an individual applies for cash assistance solely on the grounds of unemployment, they must also be available for work. 

This means they are obliged to attend interviews arranged by the local authorities, accept a reasonable offer of activation or work provided by the local authorities, and actively seek employment. If an individual is not available for work, the local authorities apply various sanctions that reduce cash assistance.

Financial social assistance is subject to tax. Assistance provided under the Welfare Act is either temporary or permanent. Temporary assistance can for example be provided in the event of absence due to sickness, divorce, or lack of job opportunities. 

Permanent assistance is granted to people who are not entitled to benefits under the Pension Act but have a permanent need for support to maintain themselves and their families. In the event of temporary assistance, the amount depends on age, form of cohabitation and maintenance obligation, as a percentage of the maximum rate. The maximum rate is fixed by Parliament and adjusted annually.

Single persons with a maintenance obligation are granted the highest benefit (90 per cent of maximum rate), while those under 25 living with their parent(s) are granted the lowest benefit (22 per cent of the maximum rate). Permanent assistance is granted at an amount corresponding to 75 per cent of maximum rate.

The level of financial social assistance is determined by household income and is a tax-exempt net benefit. Social assistance is intended to be a source of short-term financial aid that helps recipients overcome or avoid temporary difficulties and promotes their autonomy and independence. 

Social assistance consists of the following three components: basic social assistance, supplementary social assistance, and preventive social assistance. The Social Insurance Institution (Kela) has paid out basic social assistance since 2017. Previously all forms of social assistance were paid out by municipalities.

Applications for basic social assistance is submitted to the Social Insurance Institution. The national government fixes the basic amount of financial social assistance annually. The right to basic social assistance is then determined by means of a calculation of income, assets, and expenses. 

If a recipient repeatedly refuses to accept a job offer or training, the financial social assistance may be reduced by 20–40 per cent.  If there are specific expenses which the basic social assistance does not cover, the municipal social services office may at its discretion provide supplementary or preventive social assistance.

The level of financial social assistance is determined by household income. The assistance is taxable. The local authorities are obliged to pay financial social assistance to people unable to provide for themselves i.e., those whose income falls below a certain level.

The Ministry of Welfare has drawn up guidelines for what should be taken into consideration in connection with this award, but the basic amount is not fixed by the national government.

The level of financial social assistance is based on a discretionary assessment regarding the applicant's necessary subsistence costs. All the applicant's (and/or the applicant's family’s) earnings and assets are considered. Financial social assistance is a tax-exempt net benefit. The government has drawn up recommended guidelines for the amount of support to be awarded. No upper limit is placed on the amount of the assistance, which may also take the form of a loan. In special cases, the social authorities may grant financial assistance to those who need help with overcoming or adapting to difficult circumstances, but who would otherwise not qualify for financial social assistance.  

People drawing financial social assistance may be required to meet some conditions. Municipalities are required by law to set an activation condition for recipients of financial assistance who are under the age of 30, after an individual assessment of the recipient's capabilities. The primary purpose of these conditions is to help the recipients improve their situation, and thereby provide for themselves, by applying for relevant jobs and participating in guidance meetings, vocational courses and/or training and retraining measures, etc.

The level of financial social assistance is determined by household income and is a tax-exempt net benefit. Financial social assistance, known as “financial assistance”, serves two purposes – it must guarantee a family a reasonable financial standard of living; and it must be preventive and rehabilitative.

Local authorities usually offer unemployed recipients measures intended to prepare them for work. Those who are fit for employment but who do not apply for or accept offers of work, etc., will often lose their entitlement to assistance.

Every year, central government sets national standards for subsistence expenses e.g., food, clothing, and consumer goods, and often rent and transport. In calculating the amount of the financial assistance, a recipient’s total income is taken into consideration, including any maintenance allowance, child allowance, housing benefit, etc. If, for instance, the housing benefit increases by SEK 200 per month, the amount of financial assistance will be reduced accordingly.

For those having received financial assistance for at least 6 months and start working 75 per cent of the net earnings is exempted in the calculation of financial assistance. As in Norway, there is no upper limit, and financial assistance may also be granted on a loan basis e.g., if a recipient expects to be in receipt of income that makes it possible to repay the assistance provided.