Increase in the number of people using social assistance
Many of them struggle to make ends meet due to reasons higher rates interest rates and food prices. Moreover, there is a large increase in numbers Ukrainian refugees resettled and integrated into the labor market. This has led to more and more people needing social assistance and social services and to greater demands placed on the services to be provided. as shown by a recent analysis by NAV.
– For the last five years we have been in... state of emergency, first due to the pandemic and now due to the war in Ukraine. We follow the development situation and I am proud of the efforts that many employees of NAV offices are making to help more people get help and good advice in difficult situations - says the director of labor and social welfare Hans Christian Holte.
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More refugees benefiting from social assistance
Compared with 2022 in 2023 with social assistance used by 13% on average. more people per month.
All 12 municipalities interviewed saw an increase, but the increase ranged from 9 to 24 percent. Municipalities point out that the increase is largely due to more people seeking help Ukrainian refugees. NAV staff also point out that there are more families with children and teenagers, and that there are more newcomers with other NAV benefits or low wage income.
– People who have been living on the financial margin can no longer operate. NAV employees pay attention to, among others: that more and more people are asking for financial advice and advice regarding debt. They managed to cope before, but high mortgage loans made their financial situation much more difficult. We also take seriously the fact that more and more working people need social assistanceto survive, says Åshild Male Kalstø, senior advisor in the knowledge department at NAV. Kalstø is behind the study together with Heidi Nicolaisen.
Many point to housing as the main challenge
The analysis also points to housing as a reason why many people experience difficult everyday living conditions. With interest rate increases and prices increased due to inflation apartments, both for ownership and for rent. The supply of rental housing is also very limited in several places, and has become even more tight as a result of adoption by Norway has many Ukrainian refugees.
13% increase in people using social assistance
Moreover, municipalities mention that changes in specialist health services lead to greater the need to provide temporary housing. In practice this means that very sick people are discharged earlier than before, and for some of this group it is difficult to find accommodation.
– City authorities have difficulty providing a sufficient number of various types of apartments. However, none of the people we spoke to said they were unable to provide housing to people in need. Still, they have no doubt that it is difficult. Due to the shortage of permanent housing, more provision of temporary accommodation must also be made. For example city of Oslo rebuilt the dormitory and the nursing home to meet the demand, says Kalstø.
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Source: NAV, Photo: pixabay
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