More parents receive social help in Rogaland

NAV,NAV logo. Photo Norway Today Media

Closer to 1,000 parents in the Stavanger area are receiving social assistance, an increase of nearly 200 from last year. The Social and Employment Service (NAV) is concerned about the development.

While fewer are unemployed and there are more job vacancies in the region makes NAV more optimistic, it is muted that more social assistance is handed out, Stavanger Aftenblad writes.

– The number of parents receiving social assistance has increased significantly in one year. It concerns us, says NAV leader Ågot Vatnedal in Sandnes.

In her municipality, and the municipalities Sola and Stavanger there are now 959 parents in total receiving such help. That is 180 more than last year, and Vatnedal think it’s going to grow even more.

– The trend is still that number increases. Meanwhile, the need for help is often temporary, she explains.

In Stavanger the municipality predict that unemployment will lead to a continued increase in the number of social assistance recipients because many nearing the end of the two years they receive unemployment benefits. The situation may also apply to neighbouring Sandnes and Sola.

– Currently, there are not so many who have gone on unemployment benefits for more than two years, so I do not know if we have seen the impact of unemployment yet, says Marit Ladsten, head of NAV in Sola.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today