Sweden - Other benefits for parents
This chapter describes the benefits that parents can receive in addition to parental allowance and child allowance. These are maintenance support if parents do not live together or support in cases of adoption. This chapter will also explain how much benefit you can get and how to apply.
The benefits described are:
- maintenance support (underhållsstöd)
- adoption grant (adoptionsbidrag)
In what situation can I claim?
If you are separated parent and live in Sweden, it may be possible to receive maintenance support if the other parent does not contribute to the child's costs. If you are a single adoptive parent, you also have the opportunity to seek maintenance support. Upon adoption it is possible to apply for an adoption grant which is a lump sum.
If you have a child with disabilities you may be entitled to other benefits. You can read more about these in the chapter on people with disabilities.
Special rules may apply to separated parents when the parent that should pay child support for the child lives in a different country.
What conditions do I need to meet?
Maintenance support
When a child lives with only one parent, the other parent must pay maintenance as a contribution towards the child's support. Where that does not happen, the child may be entitled to maintenance support. There are different types of maintenance support depending on your family situation. This support is paid to the parent with whom the child lives and is registered.
Adoption grant
If you adopt, you can get an adoption grant. The adoption must be approved by the Family Law and Parental Support Agency or a Swedish court. A foreign adoption order may also be sufficient.
The child must be a foreign citizen, not be aged over 10 years and not be resident in Sweden when you receive him or her into your care. You must live in Sweden.
If you adopt a child from another country and you are single, you can also get maintenance support. The child must be under 18, you must live in Sweden, you must have custody of the child and he or she must be registered as living with you.
What am I entitled to and how can I claim?
Maintenance support
The amount of the maintenance support depends on the age of the child: maximum SEK 1,673 per child per month if the child is below 7; SEK 1,823 for children between 7 and 14; SEK 2,223 for children 15 or older. Apply by sending one of the forms for maintenance support to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.
Adoption grant
The adoption grant amounts to SEK 75,000 for each child and is tax free (for children who were adopted before January 2017, the amount is SEK 40,000). Apply by submitting the application for an adoption grant to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency together with a copy of the adoption order or a document confirming the adoption together with a copy of the document confirming the identity of the organisation that has arranged the adoption. You must apply within one year of the date upon which the adoption becomes valid.
Jargon busters
VAB stands for the care of children. This means that you stay home from work or refrain from seeking work in order to care for a sick child, while receiving temporary parental benefit.
E-ID: see the chapter on Benefit during sickness.
Forms you may need to fill in
If you have e-ID, you can apply for most benefits on My Pages on the Swedish Social Insurance Agency website. Otherwise, you can contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's Customer Centre and order the forms you need. You can also download forms from the Agency's website under the tab Forms.
Know your rights
Sweden:
- Social Insurance Code (2010:110) chapter 17-19 and 21
EU:
Who do you need to contact?
Swedish Social Insurance Agency
Website: www.forsakringskassan.se
Customer centre e-mail: mailto:kundcenter@forsakringskassan.se
Customer centre telephone: +46 771524524
Family Law and Parental Support Agency
Nygatan 40B Box 35
SE-931 21 Skellefteå Sweden
Tel. +46 101901100 (the switchboard is open weekdays between 9 am to 3 pm)
E-mail: info@mfof.se
Website: Startsida (mfof.se)