The Norwegian government wants to increase housing benefits by NOK 1,500 a month and increase the social assistance budget to help Norwegians pay their electricity bills.
“We propose increasing the housing benefits sharply through the winter. This means that we quickly reach many of those with the worst personal finances even before Christmas so that they can handle their electricity bills,” Minister of Local Government Bjørn Arild Gram (AP) told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
The government is proposing that the housing benefits be increased by NOK 1,500 from December to March. In addition, there would be NOK 150 per person living in the home. The measure would cost the taxpayers a total of NOK 500 million.
A separate allocation of NOK 100 million would be set aside for beneficiaries of social assistance who do not receive housing benefits.
“This means that we can reach people with these funds already before Christmas, and we that we can follow up through the winter with monthly payments,” Gram said.
Housing benefits
NRK writes that less than 100,000 Norwegians are entitled to housing benefits. The income limit is so low that many people with low incomes in Norway are not entitled to housing benefits.
This winter, electricity prices have risen sharply, and several price records have been registered. As a result, electricity bills for Norwegians have become much higher.
The reasons are, among other things, the high gas prices, which affect electricity prices throughout Europe. This is especially true in Southern Norway, which is more exposed to European prices due to its cable infrastructure.
On top of this come the high prices for CO2 emissions. At the same time, the levels in the reservoirs in Norway are significantly below normal levels. There has also been little wind in Norway and Europe, which has resulted in less wind power.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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