Have no money for food, housing or other expenses

YOU MAY HAVE RIGHT TO THIS

Updated 10. January 2024

You may be entitled to financial support from NAV if you do not have money for food, housing or other necessary expenses. Your situation determines what you may have right to.

No money for food, housing or other expenses?

Copy linkLink successfully copied

Financial social assistance is temporary financial support intended to cover necessary housing and living expenses. NAV may require you to participate in activities when you are receiving financial assistance.

Everyone has the right to submit an application for financial assistance and to have NAV conduct an individual assessment of their case.

Financial assistance

Are you in an emergency situation?

Copy linkLink successfully copied

Emergency assistance is intended to cover bare essentials for a limited time. This includes

food
hygiene items
travel expenses
bills you must pay to prevent necessary services, such as electricity, etc., from being disconnected
housing expenses
other expenses

You use the application for financial assistance if you need help in an emergency. You should also contact NAV office in the municipality where you are located immediately, or call NAV at
55 55 33 33.

Find your local NAV office

If you have nowhere to sleep and stay for the next 24 hours, you can also apply for help with finding temporary accommodation.

Do you need help finding a job or other activity?

Copy linkLink successfully copied

NAV can help you find a job or other activity. Do you need help with finding out what your options are? Please contact your local NAV office. You can also call us.

I need help finding a job (in Norwegian)

Trenger hjelp til å komme i jobb

Are you considering getting an education or going to school, or do you need help with completing your education?

I need help completing my education (in Norwegian)

Trenger hjelp til å fullføre utdanning

Other financial support

Unemployment benefit (dagpenger)

If you are unemployed, you may be entitled to unemployment benefit or other financial support from NAV and help finding new employment.

Benefits

Employment scheme benefits

Benefits you are entitled too while participating in one of NAV's employment schemes.

Benefits

Work assessment allowance (AAP)

Ensures that you have an income during periods where, due to illness or injury, you need help from NAV.

Benefits

Qualification Programme

The qualification programme is for people aged 18 to 67 who want to work, but who need extra follow-up to manage it. You receive a qualification benefit when you participate in the programme.

Benefits and Counselling

Supplementary benefit for disabled refugees under the age of 67

If you have not lived in Norway long when you turn 67 years old, you may qualify for supplementary benefit. This guarantees you an income equivalent to the National Insurance basic pension.

Benefits

Supplementary benefit for persons over 67 who have only lived a short period in Norway

If you are disabled and have refugee status, you may qualify for supplementary benefit. This guarantees you an income equivalent to the minimum disability benefit.

Benefits

Do you need advice and guidance?

Copy linkLink successfully copied

You have the right to receive guidance from NAV in order to prevent or solve challenges you might have. It can for example be challenges with finances, employment, housing, living environment, child care, or other things. You can call us or contact your NAV-office.

You can read more here:

Information, advice and guidance

Do you have financial problems?

We can provide advice and guidance about your finances. The goal is for you to become able to manage your own finances.

Need financial advice and debt counselling

Do you need help finding permanent housing?

Copy linkLink successfully copied

We can provide advice and guidance to help you find permanent housing.

Are you unable to find suitable housing due to financial, social, health or other reasons? The NAV office can help you find permanent housing.

Among other things, we can help you

find flats for rent
schedule viewings and possibly attend viewings
write an application for municipal housing
help ensure a satisfactory living situation
establish contact with municipal health and care services
find other permanent accommodation

We can also provide financial advice and debt counselling, as well as information about financial assistance and relevant loan and support schemes.

Find your NAV-office

When you are looking for a place to live, we recommend considering which type of home is suitable for you, any children you may have and other people in your household.

If you want to rent in the open rental market, you can find most available lets online or in newspapers. Go to finn.no to find many available lets.

You can find information about the laws and regulations that apply to rented property and lease agreements at dep.husleie.no (in Norwegian).

Budget

If you are renting, we recommend making a monthly budget to get an overview of your income and our expenses. This will tell you how much you can afford to pay in rent.

Do not sign a lease agreement before you have established that you will be able to fulfil your obligations under the agreement. If you need financial assistance from NAV to cover your rent or deposit, you need to clear this with your NAV-office before signing.

Deposit (deposit guarantee)

Most lessors want a deposit as security, in case something is destroyed in the flat or if the rent is not paid. The deposit is normally an amount equivalent to 3 months’ rent.

You may apply for assistance in covering this security deposit when you sign a lease if you do not have the means to cover it yourself. Use the form for financial assistance to apply for assistance with covering the deposit.

The parties in a lease agreement is the leasor and you. NAV is not a party to the lease agreement, even if NAV has provided assistance with the deposit.

Your NAV office can help you apply for municipal housing.

Who is eligible?

The municipalities all have different criteria for applicants, go to your municipality’s website for more information. If you meet the criteria and are granted priority, you will be offered municipal housing.

How to apply

Apply as soon as possible – it may take time before you are assigned housing and can move in.

You must apply in writing. Go to your municipality’s website to find the application form.

Are you a single parent?

Copy linkLink successfully copied

When you are a single parent, there are various support schemes available, depending, among other things, on the child’s age, your marital status and your living and employment situation.

I am a full-time or part-time single parent (in Norwegian)

Er helt eller delvis alene med barn