It will be impossible to go on grants and do nothing

Published 25 November 2024 at 13.45

Domestic. The government is going ahead with the proposal to introduce activity requirements for people who receive support, announced Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and Minister for the Elderly and Social Insurance Anna Tenje (M) in a debate article in Expressen.

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The proposal, which is now sent for consultation, aims to break so-called exclusion and increase labor force participation.

“It simply shouldn't be possible to do nothing, if you can basically work”, write Ulf Kristersson and Anna Tenje.

They point out that previously undemanding policies have cemented exclusion, especially among the foreign-born, who account for a majority of recipients of financial aid.

“The situation not only breeds a shadow society, but the exclusion also risks being inherited in generations. It is a development that must now be broken once and for all. We need to replace the allowance line with the work line.”

Now the government wants to introduce a grant ceiling, gradual eligibility requirements for welfare benefits and activity requirements to motivate self-sufficiency.

The activity requirement means that people who receive income support must participate in activities such as language courses or socially beneficial efforts on a full-time basis, which according to Kristersson and Tenje strengthens the possibilities of finding work.

“The activity requirement aims to, through requirements and support, contribute to more people getting into work or approaching the labor market. It can be about activities to increase the individual's ability to work or study, but also activities that improve language skills to get closer to work or studies. It can also be about workplace-based activities or job search activities. In this way, more people can support themselves. Having a nationally regulated activity requirement in all municipalities also aims to strengthen legal certainty and make the activity requirement uniform in the municipalities,” writes the government.

The government emphasizes that every person who goes from benefits to work creates “double profits” for society, partly through reduced benefit costs, partly through increased tax revenues.< /p>

“That the work line wins over the grant line is a matter of fate for Sweden's future. If you get society's help with grants, you also have to give something back,” conclude Ulf Kristersson and Anna Tenje.

The memorandum with the new proposals is now sent for consultation so that authorities, organizations and other consultation bodies have the opportunity to submit their views. The referral response must have been received by the Ministry of Social Affairs by 11 March 2025 at the latest.