1 out of 5 receive subsistance benefits from NAV

NAVNAV.Photo: Norway Today Media

21 per cent of the Norwegian population aged 18-66 received a subsistance allowance at any one time in 2016.

This is shown in new statistics prepared by NAV. Looking at the figures for each month last year, there were on average 712,000 residents who received either unemployment benefits, social security benefits, in-work benefits, disability benefits, or single parents’ benefits.

This corresponds to 21 per cent of the population between 18-66 of age. One in five residents thus received a benefit from NAV at any one time last year.

In the course of 2016, almost 1.2 million citizens received these benefits from NAV for a shorter or longer period. This corresponds to every third citizen aged 18-66 years.

Lowest share in Oslo and Akershus

There are major county differences between the number of people who receive benefits from NAV. On average, 15 per cent of the inhabitants of Oslo received such benefits every month last year, followed by Akershus at 17 per cent and Sogn and Fjordane at 18 per cent. At the other end of the scale, we find Østfold and Aust-Agder, where 27 per cent of the working-age population were recipients of NAV’s subsistance benefits.

– Composition of the population and industry structure are two factors that affect the proportion of residents who receive benefits from NAV. Counties like Oslo, with a relatively young population and a large labour market, will naturally have a lower proportion of residents on subsistance or retirement benefits than others, says Sigrun Vågeng, the Labour and Welfare Director.

Amongst the municipalities there are greater differences, more than between the counties. The five municipalities with the lowest number of residents in working age with subsistance benefits from NAV are Bærum (12.4%), Bykle (13.3%), Hemsedal (13.6%), Sogndal (13.9%) and Asker , 1%).

The five municipalities with the highest proportion of working age reisdents on benefits are Ballangen (39.1%), Dyrøy (33.5%), Hasvik (33.4%), Gjerstad (33.4%) and Lavangen (33.3%).

174 billion last year

In total, in 2016 NAV paid closer to NOK 174 billion in subsistance benefits to residents residing in Norway.

Overall, for all benefits (subsistance, children and families, pensions, etc.), NAV paid a total of NOK 418 billion to recipients in 2016. This was an increase of 4 per cent from the previous year. In addition, the local NAV offices pay municipal benefits such as social assistance and qualification benefits.

 

Source: Nav / Norway Today