This chapter provides information about who is entitled to family benefits, and what conditions apply to the benefits.

Regarding the UK the EEA/EFTA-UK Separation Agreement or the Convention on Social Security between Norway and the UK is applied.

In what situation can I claim?

Child benefit (barnetrygd)

If you have a child under the age of 18 and the child is resident in Norway.

You can also receive child benefit if you work in Norway but your family lives in another EEA country.

If you are a single parent caring for a child under the age of 18, you may be entitled to extended child benefit.

Cash benefit for families with small children (kontantstøtte)

You can receive cash benefit for families with small children if you have a child between the ages of one and two, if the child does not have a place in a day-care centre. The child must be resident in Norway.

You can also receive cash benefit for families with small children if you work in Norway but your family lives in another EEA country.

Transitional benefit (stønad til enslig mor eller far)

If you have a child under the age of eight and you are a single parent, you may be entitled to transitional benefit.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Child benefit

The child must be under the age of 18. The child must be resident in Norway or in another EEA country.

If you are a sole carer, you may be entitled to extended child benefit.

Cash benefit for families with small children

You can receive cash benefit for families with small children if you have a child between the ages of 1 and 2, if the child does not have a place in a day-care centre. From 1 July 2017, the recipient of the benefit must have a minimum of 5 years membership in the National Insurance Scheme. When the child lives with both parents, this requirement applies to both of them.

The child must be resident in Norway or another EEA country.

Transitional benefit

You must have been a member of the National Insurance Scheme for the last 5 years.

You and the child must be resident in Norway.

The youngest child must be under the age of 8.

If the youngest child is less than 1 year old, you are free to choose whether you want to work or study. After the child's first birthday, you must work at least 50% of a full-time job or study at least 50% of a full-time course in order to continue to be entitled to transitional benefit.

You must be unmarried, divorced or separated. If you had the child with a cohabitee, but later became the sole carer, you must be able to document this.

You must be the sole carer of the child.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Child benefit

If the child was born in Norway, it is most likely that you will automatically receive child benefit. Child benefit is generally paid to the child's mother. If you wish to change this, you must contact your local NAV office. Child benefit will continue to be paid until the child reaches the age of 18, or until the child is no longer resident in Norway, or until you are no longer a member of the National Insurance Scheme.

*one payment per provider

If you have not received child benefit automatically, you must submit an application to NAV.

In order to receive extended child benefit, you must submit an application to NAV, even if you are already receiving child benefit.

If the child's mother is not a member of the Social Security Scheme, you must make the application for child benefit yourself.

Read more about child benefit for foreign employees in Norway here.

Cash benefit for families with small children

The benefit is given to parents of children aged between 13 months and 23 months.

In 2022, cash benefit for families with small children amount to NOK 7 500 per month. To receive the full rate the child can not be in a day care centre. If the child is part-time in a day care centre, the benefit is as follows:

In order to receive the benefit, you must submit an application to NAV.

In order to receive the benefit for a child living in an EEA country you must also submit a supplementary application.

You can find more information about cash benefit for families with small children here.

Transitional benefit

Transitional benefit is equivalent to 2.25 G (National Insurance Basic Amount) annually, or NOK 239 389 as from 1 May 2021.

You can receive this benefit for up to 3 years, with an option of a 2-year extension (until the youngest child is 8 years old) if you are in the required education. The benefit period can also be extended under certain other circumstances, for example if the child is in particular need of extra care and this prevents you from working to provide for yourself. Benefit may also be given to cover expenses for education, childminding and moving house.

If you want to claim transitional benefit, you must submit an application to NAV (form available in Norwegian only).

Jargon busters

• G: Abbreviation for National Insurance Basic Amount (see Basic Amount below). 1 G = 1 x Basic Amount, 2 G = 2 x Basic Amount, etc.
• Basic Amount: A standard amount that is used to calculate benefits and pensions, and which is set on 1 May each year. As of 1 May 2021, the Basic Amount is NOK 106 399, or about EUR 10 672.
• NAV: Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (Arbeids- og velferdsetaten)

Know your rights

The links below direct you to websites that describe your legal rights, but they are not part of the European Commission's websites. The Commission is therefore not responsible for the content:

• Transitional benefit to single mother or father, National Insurance Act chapter 15 (in Norwegian only)
• Transitional benefit - information (in Norwegian only)
• Your rights as a member of the National Insurance Scheme

The Commission's publications and websites:

• http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/family/children/benefits/index_en.htm

Who do you need to contact?

NAV: Via NAV's website Contact us - nav.no