Care benefit is intended to compensate for loss of earned income in connection with having to look after a child or because the person who usually minds the child is sick.
Any person who is employed and cares for children under the age of 12 years is entitled to care benefit. If the child has a chronic illness or disability, entitlement to care benefit is extended until the child reaches the age of 18 years. Carers of chronically ill or disabled children are entitled to an increased number of days' benefit after advance approval by NAV.
In order to be entitled to care benefit, you must also meet the general requirements concerning the qualifying period and loss of earned income.
You are entitled to care benefit if you need to be absent from work to provide necessary supervision and care when the child is sick.
The same also applies if you have to be absent from work because:
Read more about the conditions for entitlement to care benefit in connection with a child's illness in the National Insurance Act, sections 9-2, 9-3 and 9-5 under the heading "Regulations" in the menu to the right.
You can receive care benefit for:
If the parents do not live together, the care benefit days may be shared proportionately between the parents on the basis of the child access agreement between the parents. The parents must submit a written statement to NAV concerning the distribution of care pursuant to the child access agreement. NAV issues a statement to the employer concerning the distribution of entitlement to care benefit.
Care benefit is calculated in the same way as sickness benefit and is equivalent to 100 per cent of the income on which the calculation of your sickness benefit is based.
Your employer is responsible for paying care benefit for ten days per calendar year.
In order to be entitled to care benefit from your employer, you must document the child's or care provider's illness by means of a self-certification form.
From the fourth day, the employer can demand that you document the child's or care provider's illness by means of a medical certificate (doctor's note).
When NAV is to pay the care benefit, we demand that you document the child's or care provider's illness by means of a medical certificate (doctor's note).
Parents of chronically ill or disabled children can apply for an increased number of benefit days.
Apply using the form "Krav om forhåndsgodkjenning av økt antall stønadsdager med omsorgspenger" (claim for advance approval of increased number of benefit days) – form no. NAV 09-06.05. This form can be found under "Forms" in the menu on the right. When you select a form, you are automatically taken to a guide to completing the form. Here you must indicate which enclosures and what sort of documentation you must submit with your application.
A cover page will also be generated. To help us process your application quickly and efficiently, please submit the information given on this cover page. Please include the cover page at the front of your letter.
Your employer can seek reimbursement from NAV for any care benefit they pay above and beyond ten days per year. If you care for a child with a chronic illness or disability over the age of 12 years, your employer is entitled to reimbursement from NAV for all the care benefit days.
When an employer applies for reimbursement from NAV, an income and tax information form (form no. NAV 08-30.01) must also be enclosed with the application.
Report changes in conditions that might affect your benefit payment to your local NAV office as soon as possible.
Most of the main information about your entitlements and duties is available here in English. There are also links to other more detailed information; however, some of this information is only available in Norwegian.
