Can I get social assistance in Sweden?
Yes — social assistance (ekonomiskt bistånd) is society's last-resort safety net when you cannot manage on your own. It is paid by the municipality under the Social Services Act and built on a national norm. For 2026 the norm is 5,220 kr a month for a single adult and 8,510 kr for a cohabiting couple, plus reasonable costs for housing, electricity and insurance. The phrase last resort is literal: you must first use your own assets and savings, and if you can work you must be registered with the Public Employment Service and actively seek work. Above the norm, special costs such as care, dental treatment and glasses can be granted. In Stockholm you apply via your district administration.
📋 The rules
- A last resort when you cannot support yourself
- Paid by the municipality under the national norm
- 2026 norm: 5,220 kr single, 8,510 kr couple
- You must first use your own assets and savings
- If you can work you must seek work via the Employment Service
🔓 Exceptions
- Acute aid (food, urgent needs) can be given even if the conditions are unmet
- Special costs (care, dental, glasses) can be granted above the norm
- A new Social Services Act applies since 1 July 2025, but the right to aid is unchanged
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The sanction is that the support shrinks or stops. Refusing an offered job or an assigned activity can reduce or halt the aid — the duty to seek work is no formality. False information or unreported income leads to a repayment claim, and the money must be paid back even if it was spent long ago. In more serious cases it can be judged as benefit fraud, with fines or prison. Remember too that your own assets and savings must be used first — a savings account that surfaces afterwards becomes exactly such a repayment claim.
📎 Official sources
- National Board of Health · National norm →
- Government · National norm 2026 →
- Social Services Act · Riksdagen →
❓ Frequently asked
Who can get social assistance?
Someone who cannot support themselves and has already used their own assets and savings. The municipality assesses each application individually, and the aid is meant as the last resort when nothing else is left.
How much is the 2026 norm?
5,220 kr a month for a single adult and 8,510 kr for a cohabiting couple. On top of the norm you can have reasonable costs for housing, electricity and insurance covered by the municipality.
Must I seek work to get support?
Yes, if you can work you must be registered with the Public Employment Service and actively seek work. Refusing an offered job or an assigned activity can reduce the support or stop it altogether.
Must I use my savings first?
Yes. Social assistance is a last resort, so your own assets and savings must be used before the municipality pays anything. Undeclared assets lead to a repayment claim and can amount to benefit fraud.
Where do I apply in Stockholm?
Via your district administration or the city's e-service, and a first decision often takes up to three weeks. If you need food or something else urgently, acute aid can be given before the normal assessment is done.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I get social assistance sweden”
- “national norm 2026 amount”
- “social assistance single adult”
- “social assistance seek work”
- “social assistance savings sweden”
- “apply social assistance stockholm”