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Sammendrag
Fra 2023 til 2024 økte antallet mottakere av sosialhjelp med 14 prosent, mens de prisjusterte sosialhjelpsutgiftene økte med 18 prosent. Dermed fortsetter den sterke veksten i utgifter og antall mottakere som startet i 2022. Årsveksten i utgifter avtok noe fra 2023, da den var på 25 prosent.
Fra 2021 til 2024 økte de prisjusterte utgiftene med nesten 4 milliarder kroner– en vekst på over 50 prosent. Den viktigste forklaringen er høy tilstrømming av flyktninger fra Ukraina, som alene står for om lag tre firedeler av veksten i både antall mottakere og i utgifter. I 2024 var det i gjennomsnitt 18 100 ukrainske mottakere i måneden, en økning på omtrent 7 300 mottakere fra 2023.
Når vi holder de ukrainske flyktningene utenfor, ser vi at det har vært en viss vekst i sosialhjelpsutbetalingene og i antall sosialhjelpsmottakere siden 2021. Fra 2023 til 2024 var det en økning i andelen utenlandsfødte mottakere (uten ukrainere), mens blant norskfødte var andelen tilnærmet stabil.
Blant mindretallet av mottakere som har sosialhjelp som hovedinntektskilde finner vi en økning i stønadsnivået fra 2019 til 2024. Dette henger blant annet sammen med den ekstraordinære økningen på 10 prosent i statlige veiledende satser fra juli 2023. Veksten i stønadsnivå har særlig vært sterk blant barnefamilier som har sosialhjelp som hovedinntektskilde. Denne økningen blant barnefamilier ser vi i sammenheng med lovendringen fra september 2022, som fastslo at barnetrygd ikke lenger skal regnes som inntekt ved utmåling av sosialhjelp. I tillegg kan høy prisvekst på mat og husleie, samt økt oppmerksomhet om barns behov i Nav, ha bidratt.
Perioden 2021–2024 har vært preget av uvanlig høy inflasjon og gjentatte renteøkninger, og i 2023 og 2024 økte andelen husholdninger som rapporterte om trang økonomi. Likevel har dette bare i liten grad medført en økning i antallet sosialhjelpsmottakere. Sysselsettingen er høy, og andelen i jobb med supplerende sosialhjelp er stabilt lav. Andelen trygdemottakere med supplerende sosialhjelp økte i 2022-2023, men denne veksten har flatet ut i 2024.
From 2023 to 2024, the number of social assistance recipients increased by 14 percent, while inflation-adjusted expenditures rose by 18 percent. This continues the strong growth in both spending and recipient numbers that began in 2022. However, the annual expenditure growth slowed somewhat compared to 2023, when it was 25 percent. Between 2021 and 2024, inflation-adjusted social assistance expenditures increased by nearly NOK 4 billion – a growth of more than 50 percent. The main explanation is the high influx of refugees from Ukraine, who alone account for approximately three-quarters of the increase in both recipients and expenditures. In 2024, there was an average of 18,100 Ukrainian recipients per month – about 7,300 more than in 2023. When Ukrainian refugees are excluded, there has still been some growth in both the number of recipients and total payments since 2021. From 2023 to 2024, the share of recipients with a foreign background (excluding Ukrainians) increased, while the share among Norwegian-born remained nearly unchanged. Among the minority of recipients who rely on social assistance as their main source of income, we observe a real increase in benefit levels per recipient from 2019 to 2024. This is partly due to the extraordinary 10 percent increase in the government’s guideline rates introduced in July 2023. The growth in benefit levels has been particularly strong among families with children who depend primarily on social assistance. This increase is likely related to the legislative change from September 2022, which stated that child benefit should no longer be counted as income when calculating social assistance. In addition, high inflation in food and housing costs, as well as increased attention to children's needs within Nav, may have contributed. The period from 2021 to 2024 has been marked by unusually high inflation and repeated interest rate hikes. In both 2023 and 2024, the share of households reporting financial difficulties increased. Nevertheless, this has only led to a modest rise in the number of social assistance recipients. Employment remains high, and the share of employed individuals receiving supplementary social assistance is consistently low. The proportion of benefit recipients receiving supplementary social assistance increased in 2022 and 2023, but this growth appears to have levelled off in 2024.
From 2023 to 2024, the number of social assistance recipients increased by 14 percent, while inflation-adjusted expenditures rose by 18 percent. This continues the strong growth in both spending and recipient numbers that began in 2022. However, the annual expenditure growth slowed somewhat compared to 2023, when it was 25 percent. Between 2021 and 2024, inflation-adjusted social assistance expenditures increased by nearly NOK 4 billion – a growth of more than 50 percent. The main explanation is the high influx of refugees from Ukraine, who alone account for approximately three-quarters of the increase in both recipients and expenditures. In 2024, there was an average of 18,100 Ukrainian recipients per month – about 7,300 more than in 2023. When Ukrainian refugees are excluded, there has still been some growth in both the number of recipients and total payments since 2021. From 2023 to 2024, the share of recipients with a foreign background (excluding Ukrainians) increased, while the share among Norwegian-born remained nearly unchanged. Among the minority of recipients who rely on social assistance as their main source of income, we observe a real increase in benefit levels per recipient from 2019 to 2024. This is partly due to the extraordinary 10 percent increase in the government’s guideline rates introduced in July 2023. The growth in benefit levels has been particularly strong among families with children who depend primarily on social assistance. This increase is likely related to the legislative change from September 2022, which stated that child benefit should no longer be counted as income when calculating social assistance. In addition, high inflation in food and housing costs, as well as increased attention to children's needs within Nav, may have contributed. The period from 2021 to 2024 has been marked by unusually high inflation and repeated interest rate hikes. In both 2023 and 2024, the share of households reporting financial difficulties increased. Nevertheless, this has only led to a modest rise in the number of social assistance recipients. Employment remains high, and the share of employed individuals receiving supplementary social assistance is consistently low. The proportion of benefit recipients receiving supplementary social assistance increased in 2022 and 2023, but this growth appears to have levelled off in 2024.