Benefits
Child care benefit for single parents
Covers part of the cost for kindergarten, after-school program (SFO) or daycare when you have sole care of a child and are working.
There is also information on child care benefit for single parents for physicians and dentists or other healthcare professional.
Generally, you may be entitled to child care benefit if
You are considered a single parent if all of the following apply to you:
- you have at least 60 per cent of the daily care of children alone. When you and the other parent have a written agreement on shared permanent residence, the entitlement to benefits to a single mother or father depends on whether you have at least 60 per cent of the day-to-day care of the child alone, regardless of where the child lives at any given time.
- you are a biological parent, adoptive parent or have legally taken over custody of children
- you are unmarried, separated, divorced or have applied to the County Governor or court for a separation or divorce
- you live alone with child(ren) or share a home with another adult with whom you are not in a relationship
- you do not live very close to the other parent, i.e. the same building, the same block of flats, next door, or a building around the same courtyard, etc. We can make exceptions if you have not had the opportunity to choose freely where to live.
What is shared permanent residence?
Shared permanent residence means that the child has a permanent place of residence with both parents. This is not the same as the child having a permanent residence with one parent and possibly spending the night with the other in connection with visitation. An agreement on shared permanent residence is a legal agreement pursuant to section 36 of the Children Act. Such an agreement entails that both parents jointly make major decisions on behalf of the child, such as where the child will attend kindergarten and where in the country the child will live.
You are not considered a single parent if:
- you are living (cohabiting) with your partner, regardless of whether this person is the child’s other parent or not
- you or the other parent is receiving or has previously received benefit for single parents and have another child with the same partner
- you are fostering the child you are a single parent of
- you spend so much time with the child’s other parent that you cannot be considered a single parent
To receive child care benefit, you must be working, set up your own business or have an illness that is not permanent (chronic).
The main rule is that you can receive child care benefit until your child has completed their fourth year at school.
In some cases, you may be entitled to receive child care benefit after your child has completed their fourth year of school
In general, you and your children must live in Norway for you to receive single parent benefits. In some cases, you may still be entitled to single parent benefits if you move or stay abroad.
For single parents who are EEA citizens or family members of an EEA citizen:
- Benefit recipients can still receive the benefit when staying in other EEA countries, provided that other conditions are met.
- You may be entitled to benefits if you are an employee in Norway, but you and your child live in another EEA country (e.g., you live in Sweden and work in Norway).
- You have an independent right to the benefit if you live with the child in another EEA country, while the other parent works or receives social security benefits or a pension from Norway.
Generally, you must have been a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme for the last 5 years to qualify for the benefit. We can make exceptions if you or the other parent have a strong connection to Norway.
Separate rules for membership for EEA citizens
Social security periods from other EEA countries may count as equivalent to periods of membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. In other words, NAV may include social security periods from other EEA countries when we consider if you meet the requirement of 5 years membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. Social security periods in other EEA countries must be documented.
Only EEA citizens or family members of EEA citizens, can add social security periods from other EEA countries to periods of membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. If the social security periods are from another Nordic country, citizenship does not matter.
To qualify for child care benefit, you must be in work or in the process of setting up your own business and leave the looking after of your child(ren) to others.
If you have an illness that prevents you from working, you can receive child care benefit for up to one year. The illness must not be chronic (permanent).
If you combine work with education or looking for work, you can get this benefit if you pay for child minding while you are at work.
The work must be paid. We may make exceptions to this rule, for example, if you have an internship, an unpaid apprenticeship contract, or are self-employed.
There are no requirements concerning your employment percentage, but you are only entitled to benefit during the months you are in work.
Requirements to the business:
- Setting up the business will enable you to support yourself
- The business must be new
- You must either own over half of the business alone, or together with one or more other recipients of unemployment benefit
- You must set up and run the business in Norway
- You must register your business in the necessary public registers during the start-up period
If you receive unemployment benefit while you are setting up your own business, this means this is approved by us and you are entitled to benefit.
If you do not receive unemployment benefit while you are setting up your own business, you must obtain a commercial assessment from the municipal or county authorities or another professional body. We need this assessment to decide whether the business can be approved as occupational activity.
If you have an illness that prevents you from working, you can receive child care benefit for up to one year. The illness must not be chronic (permanent).
In this context, “disorder that is not chronic” means a health disorder that has not lasted more than two years or is not expected to last more than two years.
It is a prerequisite that the child minding arrangements were made because you were working or going to start working and that the arrangements continue during the period you are ill.
We need documentation from your doctor that shows when you became ill and when your doctor expects you to recover.
If you are currently not in work, but are registered with NAV as a job seeker or taking education that NAV has approved, as a general rule you will not be entitled to this benefit. In this case, you can apply for benefit for child minding.
In this chapter
This benefit is intended to contribute towards covering your expenses related to having your child in day care. Expenses for food, nappies, etc. are not covered.
You must provide documentation of your child minding expenses with an invoice made out to you. This invoice must be specified and indicate the expenses related to having a child in day care separately.
If you have private child minding arrangements, such as a babysitter or child minder, you must submit the agreement you have with the person who looks after your child when you apply. Here is a [template for an agreement on private child minding arrangements (PDF 52 kB) (in Norwegian). This template also indicates what information we need to process your application.
For example, if you work in the evening, at night, shift work, weekend work, commute or work at sea, you can get support to cover the costs of child minding after kindergarten and child care at school outside school hours (SFO). You must provide documentation of your working hours.
The same applies if you have a job that entails that you have to be away from home for extended periods of time. In order for an absence to be regarded as longer than usual, it must exceed ten hours per day. You must provide documentation of your working hours.
This benefit covers 64 per cent of your child minding expenses, such as kindergarten, child care at school outside school hours (SFO), or a babysitter or child minder. In other words, you have to pay at least 36 per cent of the expenses yourself.
You can have the costs of child minding covered up to a defined upper limit set by the Storting.
Rates
From 1 January 2024, these rates apply:
Number of children | Maximum amount per month | Maximum amount per year |
1 child | NOK 4,650 | NOK 55,800 |
2 children | NOK 6,066 | NOK 72,792 |
3 or more children | NOK 6,875 | NOK 82,500 |
You are not entitled to child care benefit if your monthly income, multiplied by 12, comes to more than NOK 744,168, i.e. six times the National Insurance basic amount (“G”).
We include all your earnings in our calculation. Any benefits you receive from NAV will also be included in the calculation:
- unemployment benefit
- sickness benefit
- attendance allowance, care benefit, training allowance
- work assessment allowance (AAP)
- parental benefit
- carer support / foster care allowance
If you receive cash-for-care benefit
If you receive cash-for-care benefit, the amount of benefit you receive per month will be deducted from your documented monthly expenses for child care. The cash-for-care benefit will be deducted from your child care expenses for both the child(ren) you receive cash-for-care benefit for and other children who live with you.
This applies even if the cash-for-care benefit is paid to someone else who lives with you and the child.
Thus, if your cash-for-care benefit is higher than your child minding expenses, you will not be entitled to child care benefit.
If you have reduced parental fees for the kindergarten place
You may be entitled to reduced parental fees for the kindergarten place if your income is below the municipality’s threshold. Some municipalities have similar arrangements for parental fees for child care at school outside school hours (SFO). Contact your municipal authorities for more information about this.
You must notify us if you are granted reduced parental fees by the municipal authorities, because it may affect your child care benefit. If you receive too much benefit, we can demand that you pay back the excess.
Calculate allowance for childcare
The main rule is that you can receive child care benefit until your child has completed their fourth year at school. There are no other restrictions on how long you can receive benefit for, as long as you continue to meet the conditions.
After the fourth year of school, children can usually look after themselves after school while their parents work. This is also the last year children are generally entitled to child care at school outside school hours (SFO).
In some cases, you may be entitled to receive child care benefit after your child has completed their fourth year of school:
- If you have children who need significantly more looking after than other children of the same age. You must provide documentation of this need in the form of a statement from a doctor, specialist or other health care professional.
- If you have a job that means you have to be away from home for extended periods of time. In order for an absence to be considered longer than usual, it must exceed ten hours per day. You must provide documentation of your working hours.
- For example, if you work in the evening, at night, shift work, weekend work, commute or work at sea. You must provide documentation of your working hours.
Child care benefit is normally granted for one year at a time, and you must reapply each year and provide documentation of your expenses each year.
You will receive benefit up to the end of June each year. July is usually a payment-free month in kindergartens and child care at school outside school hours (SFO). If you nevertheless have child care expenses in July, you must provide documentation of this.
Are you receiving or do you intend to apply for transitional benefit?
You can receive transitional benefit for up to three years. Periods during which you receive benefit will be deducted from this period if you receive child care benefit. This applies if:
- you are entitled to transitional benefit during this period, but have not applied for it
- you are entitled to transitional benefit during this period, but have chosen not to receive it
- you have been granted transitional benefit, but your income is too high for the benefit to be paid
Other options
More information for you who
In this chapter
You can apply as soon as you have received an invoice from the childcare scheme for the month in which you are applying for benefits. If you apply for child care benefits as of August, you must attach an invoice for August.
You can apply online or on paper. It is important that you fill in all the relevant fields and submit all the necessary documentation, so that your case can be processed promptly. You will be notified as you fill in the application if you need to provide documentation of any of the information you have provided.
The questions in the application, together with any documentation, provide us with the answers we need to process your application. If we need more information, we will contact you.
Supervisory expenses
Documented with an invoice in your name. Expenses for accommodation must be specified here.
If you have private childcare, for example a daycare, you must document the expenses by attaching the agreement you have with the childcare provider when you apply. This is a proposal for what an agreement on private childcare (PDF 52kB) can look like (in Norwegian). The agreement must contain
- your name, social security number and address
- the childminder's name and address
- name and birth number of the child(ren) being cared for
- the period for which the agreement applies
- days of the week and times for childcare
- how much you pay for childcare per month, not including food allowance
- signatures from you and the childminder
If you have an illness that is not permanent, and it affects your ability to work
Documentation from a physician showing:
- the reason why you cannot be at work
- when you got sick
- when your physician expects you to recover
- We have created a to-do list that you can take with you to your doctor (PDF 62 kB) to make sure that the physician documents the necessary information (in Norwegian).
If you establish your own business and do not receive unemployment benefits during establishment
Professional assessment from the municipality or county council. You can also use another professional competence.
- If you are an apprentice
- Apprenticeship contract
If your child has finished the fourth year of school and needs a passport significantly more than his peers
Statement from a physician, specialist, or other health personnel.
If your child has finished the fourth year of school and needs a passport because you must be away from home for long periods of time or have irregular working hours
Documentation of your working hours
If you are pregnant
Confirmation of expected date of delivery
If you have a visitation agreement for the child(ren)
Visitation agreement
If you are alone with children due to a break-up with the other parent or you have previously lived together
Confirmation of the break-up. The confirmation must be signed by both of you and show the date of the breakup. This is how a confirmation of divorce (PDF 35 kB) can look like (in Norwegian). This is not the mediation certificate from the family protection office.
If you have applied for separation or divorce, but are not separated or divorced yet
Confirmation from the County Governor on an application for separation or divorce
If one of you has filed for divorce in court
Confirmation that a case has been brought before the court
If you are married without this being registered in the National Register
Documentation of marriage
If you are separated or divorced without this being registered in the National Register
Documentation of separation or divorce
If you have a written agreement on shared permanent residence
Agreement on shared permanent residence
If your former partner is still registered at your address and does not cooperate with the change of address
- Documentation showing that you live alone with children and the time when you moved apart:
- Documentation confirming that you have been in contact with the National Register of Citizens because your former partner has moved out
- Information about where your former partner now lives
If you can document both points above, this is usually sufficient. If you do not have such documentation, you can attach, for example:
- tenancy agreement for both parties
- documentation that confirms that the former shared home has been transferred to one of the parties. This can be probate and/or documentation of who is the borrower for the home you live in.
- confirmation from child protection that you live alone with children
- documentation showing separate housing and household expenses. These can be bank statements showing paid rent, or other fixed housing expenses such as electricity and municipal taxes.
If a nursery, school, health centre or similar knows your family situation well, a statement from them can be part of the overall assessment we make of your living situation. This may include information about who collects and delivers and may be added to other documentation.
If the other parent does not cooperate with a change of address for children living with you
Documentation that the child lives with you, for example:
- the reason for the lack of change of address for the child
- copy of notice of relocation/tip to the National Register of Citizens
- confirmation from, for example, a nursery/school, child protection or health centre
If you are ill and it affects your ability to work, study or look for work
If you do not have a sick leave or do not receive work assessment allowance (AAP) or disability benefit, you must attach documentation that confirms that you are ill. The documentation from your doctor must show:
- the reason why you cannot work, study or look for work
- when you fell ill
- when your doctor expects you to recover
- how much you can work
Are you already receiving transition benefit and are you applying to extend the benefit period beyond 3 years because you have an illness that is not permanent? Then we need the documentation from your doctor even if you have sick leave.
The illness not being permanent in this context means that it has not lasted for more than 2 years or will last for more than 2 years.
We have created a to-do list that you can take with you to your doctor (PDF 59 kB) to make sure that the doctor documents the necessary information.
If your child is ill and it affects your ability to work, study or look for work
Documentation that confirms that the child is ill and describes your ability to work, study or look for work. The documentation from the doctor must show:
- the reason why the child’s illness affects your ability to work, study or look for work
- when the child fell ill
- when the doctor expects the child to recover
- how much you can work
We have created a to-do list that you can take with you to the doctor (PDF 57 kB) to make sure that the doctor documents the necessary information.
If you have children who need special supervision
Documentation of the child’s need for supervision. We need:
- documentation from your doctor confirming that the child has medical, psychological or major social problems and needs supervision.
- documentation that describes how much and how your child needs supervision, and how this affects your ability to work, study or look for work.
If you lack childcare: documentation that you lack childcare
This means refusal of a kindergarten place/SFO place or confirmation that the child is on a waiting list. The documentation must show:
- the date you applied
- the date you applied for a place from
If you have been offered a job
Employment contract showing that you have received an offer of employment.
The documentation must show:
- name of employer
- percentage of full-time equivalent
- the date you start the job
- the date you received the offer
If you are taking or are going to take an education
Documentation of the education you are taking. The documentation must show:
- name of place of study
- name of study
- how much you will study
- the period you will study
The documentation must clearly show who it applies to.
Are you already receiving transitional benefit and applying to extend the benefit period because you have been offered a study place? Then the documentation must also show the date you accepted the offer.
If you establish your own business and do not receive unemployment benefits during establishment
Professional assessment from the municipality or county council. You can also use another professional competence.
If you are a job seeker and for health reasons cannot take up any work
Medical certificate describing the reason why you cannot take up any work
If you are an apprentice
Apprenticeship contract
If you work less than 50 percent because you quit your job or took voluntary leave without a reasonable reason during the last 6 months
Documentation of the employment relationship and the reason why you left. The documentation must show:
- the working relationship
- the reason you quit
- the date you resigned or agreed to take voluntary leave
If you work less than 50 percent because you have reduced your working hours without reasonable reason during the last 6 months
Documentation of the employment conditions and the reason why you reduced your working hours. The documentation must show:
- the employment conditions
- the reason why you reduced your working hours
- the date you agreed to a reduction in working hours
You may contact NAV if you want more information and guidance, and/or help filling in the form.
You will receive a written decision when the application has been processed.
Processing time for applications
The processing time is the time from when we receive your application until we have made a decision. Remember that we need all the necessary documentation to process your application.
Case concerns | Expected case processing time |
---|---|
Application | 4 weeks |
Have you received a decision from us that you think is wrong? You can complain to the NAV Unit that issued the decision. They will reassess your case. If they do not agree with your complaint, they will forward it to the NAV Appeals Management Unit.
Complain about a decision
The decision will have information about how to proceed if you want to complain, where to send your complaint and the term of complaint. If you have questions about the decision, you can contact us.
Appeal a decision
If you disagree with the decision of your complaint from the the NAV Appeals Management Unit, you can, with some exceptions, appeal the decision. The deadline for appealing is stated in the decision.
You can also use a lawyer or give a power of attorney to a person who complains on your behalf.
More about
Right to complain
How to
Processing time for complaints and appeals
Have you received a decision from us that you think is wrong? You can complain to the NAV Unit that issued the decision. They will reassess your case. If they do not agree with your complaint, they will forward it to the NAV Appeals Management Unit.
Case concerns | Expected case processing time |
---|---|
Complaint to the NAV unit | 10 weeks |
Complaint to the NAV Appeals Management Unit | 12 weeks |
Appeals to the NAV Appeals Management Unit | 12 weeks |
In this chapter
Your benefits for single parents may be suspended for one month if you, without reasonable grounds:
- resign from your job
- turn down a job offer
- fail to return to work after your period of parental leave
- refuse to participate in labour market schemes
- fail to attend meetings with NAV
If you have provided incorrect information or failed to provide information, your benefit may be suspended for up to three months the first time you do this and for up to six months if this happens more than once in a three-year period.
Child care benefit is paid from the month you qualify for the benefit.
You can receive retroactive payment of benefit for up to three months from when you apply if you were entitled to benefit during this period. To claim this, you must submit the invoices for the relevant months.
Benefit will be paid by the 20th of every month. The day on which the benefit is paid may vary from month to month.
Please be aware that these dates are when NAV guarantees you will have the money in your account.
Payment dates in 2024 |
---|
19. January |
20. February |
20. March |
19. April |
16. May |
20. June |
19. July |
20. August |
20. September |
18. October |
20. November |
12. December |
In your payment overview, you can see upcoming payments several days before the actual payment date.
The time of day when the payment will be credited to your account will vary, as it is your bank that transfers the payment into your account. Payments can therefore arrive in your account in the afternoon or evening.
If you are entitled to retroactive child care benefit, you will receive this money shortly after your application has been processed.
Holiday pay
There is no holiday pay on this benefit.
Tax
No tax is deducted from the money.
You must notify us of changes if
- your child minding expenses change
- you discontinue the child minding arrangements
- you are granted reduced parental fees for child minding
- your work situation changes
- your monthly income, multiplied by 12, is more than NOK 744,168 i.e. six times the National Insurance basic amount (“G”)
- you are granted cash support or other benefits from NAV
- your application for separation or divorce is refused
- you start living with your partner, enter into a civil partnership, or get married
- you start a relationship with someone you have previously lived with and have children with
- you are expecting another child
- the child access arrangements change
- the day-to-day care of the child is temporarily or permanently left to others
- you will be spending time abroad
- you move
- you or the other parent moves very close to one another, i.e. the same building, the same block of flats, next door, or a building around the same courtyard, etc.
- you become ill and this prevents you from working
Holidays and period spent abroad
You must notify us if:
- you are going to spend more than six weeks abroad
- you are going to travel abroad and have already spent six weeks outside Norway during the past 12 months
- you are going to travel abroad, and this stay will result in you having spent more than six weeks abroad during the past 12 months
Relocation
If you are moving or have moved, we must assess whether you are still entitled to this benefit.
You must send us information about:
- whether you still live alone, or are sharing your home with another adult. If you live in a marriage-like relationship, we will need your partner’s name and date of birth
- whether your children are registered in the National Registry as living at your address after you have moved
- any changes to your child access agreement
- the child(ren) has changed child minding arrangements. In this case, you must submit documentation of your current expenses
- you have changed jobs. In this case, you must document your new employment
In general, you and your children must live in Norway for you to receive single parent benefits. In some cases, you may still be entitled to single parent benefits if you move or stay abroad.
You may stay abroad for a period of up to 6 weeks (42 days), during a 12-month period while you receive the benefit. Weekend stays of up to 2 nights do not count.
You may also keep the benefit if you work for a Norwegian employer abroad.
If you meet the other conditions for the benefit, you may have the right to keep the benefit when staying in other EEA countries if:
- You are already receiving a single parent benefit.
- You are an employee in Norway, but you and your child live in another EEA country (e.g., you live in Sweden and work in Norway).
- You and your child live in another EEA country, while the other parent works or receives social security benefits or a pension from Norway.
Updated 06/14/2024
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