Your rights

Have no money for food, housing or other expenses

About financial support you can receive when you don't have money for necessary expenses or you are in an emergency situation.

No money for food, housing or other expenses?

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?

Emergency assistance is intended to cover bare essentials for a limited time. For example, this may include

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

You use the application for financial assistance if you need help in an emergency. Please write that you need help in an emergency situation. If you cannot apply digitally, you should contact Nav office in the municipality where you live or are located.

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?

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.

Need help finding a job (in Norwegian)

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

Need help completing my education (in Norwegian)

Other financial support

Unemployment benefit (dagpenger)

A financial support you may get if you are unemployed or temporarily laid off.

Employment scheme benefits

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

Work assessment allowance (AAP)

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

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.

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

Ensures you a minimum income if you have lived in Norway too short to get full retirement pension.

Supplementary benefit for disabled refugees under the age of 67

If you are both disabled and have refugee status, you are guaranteed a total income equivalent to the minimum disability benefit.

Do you need advice and guidance?

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 situation, home conditions, 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?

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 housing 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 accommodations for rent online or in newspapers. You can find many available accommodations on finn.no.

You can find information about the laws and regulations that apply to rented property and rental 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 rental 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 rental agreement 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 rental agreement is the lessor and you. Nav is not a party to the rental 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 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?

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.

Er helt eller delvis alene med barn

Others who can help

Housing allowance from Husbanken

About housing allowance for people with low incomes and high housing expenses.

Family counselling office

The family counselling service can help you find solutions.

Health and lifestyle

Knowledge-based tools and advice if you want to change a habit or need information about small things you can do for better health.

Assistance services for young people from A to Å

About employment, bullying, mental health, school, education, consumption, the environment, sex and cohabitation. You can also ask questions anonymously.

RUSinfo - information on drugs and drug helpline

If you have questions about alcohol or drugs, you can call RUStelefonen.

Updated 07/04/2025