Financial assistance
BENEFITS
|Updated 18. September 2023
Financial assistance in brief
Financial assistance is a temporary assistance for those who are unable to financially support themselves.
You can apply for financial assistance with things you need assistance with. There is only one application form, where you describe what you need assistance with. You apply to the NAV office in the municipality where you currently stay.
You can both apply digitally and find a paper form here on nav.no. The digital application form is available in Norwegian and English.
Each municipality has its own application form you can use. You may as well get the application form at your nearest NAV office.
Contents
Nice to know
Financial assistance in brief
Financial assistance is a temporary assistance for those who are unable to financially support themselves.
You can apply for financial assistance with things you need assistance with. There is only one application form, where you describe what you need assistance with. You apply to the NAV office in the municipality where you currently stay.
You can both apply digitally and find a paper form here on nav.no. The digital application form is available in Norwegian and English.
Each municipality has its own application form you can use. You may as well get the application form at your nearest NAV office.
Who is eligible?
Everyone has the right to apply for financial assistance and to have NAV conduct an individual assessment of their case.
Normally, you must have legal residence in Norway in order to qualify for financial assistance. You are not eligible for financial assistance if you are abroad.
When all other income opportunities have been fully exploited, but are not sufficient, you may be entitled to financial assistance. Other income opportunities can be income-generating work, own savings and other financial rights.
You are entitled to information, advice and guidance regardless of whether you qualify for financial assistance.
Are you in an emergency situation?
Emergency assistance is intended to cover bare essentials for a limited time. This includes food, hygiene items and travel expenses.
You can also apply for support with bills you must pay to prevent necessary services, such as electricity, etc., from being disconnected.
You use the application for financial assistance if you need help in an emergency.
If you are unable to find the means to cover the bare essentials, you can apply for financial assistance in the municipality where you currently are.
If you have nowhere to sleep and stay for the next 24 hours, you can also apply for help with finding temporary accommodation.
If you are in an emergency situation, please contact NAV in the municipality where you are located immediately. You can also call NAV at 55 55 33 33 if you want to talk to us.
What can I get assistance with?
You can apply for assistance with expenses you can not cover on your own. There is only one application form where you describe what you need assistance with.
You can apply for assistance with
You can apply for assistance with expenses needed to live, so-called living expenses or subsistence.
When we say living expenses, we mean expenses for food, housing (such as rent), electricity, heating, municipal fees, etc. Other examples of living expenses include dental expenses, clothing and leisure activities.
You can also apply for assistance with expenses for special occasions, such as holidays and confirmations.
Expenses for appointments with a doctor, psychologist or dentist, as well as for necessary medication, are considered necessary to live, so-called living expenses, and you can apply for assistance with these expenses. Normally, you will not be entitled to assistance for expenses incurred in connection with alternative types, forms or places of treatment that are not part of the public health service or covered by national insurance.
dentist expenses
If you have a hard time paying for dental treatment, contact your dentist to see if it is possible to devise some sort of payment plan for your treatment. If you do not qualify for assistance from Helfo, and your financial situation makes it impossible to come up with a payment plan, you can apply to NAV for assistance with covering some or all of these costs.
In order for us to be able to assess your case, you must provide information about income, expenses and any other assets you may have. In addition to that, we need a so-called cost estimate, specifying what the treatment will cost, as well as any X-rays and a statement from your dentist about the treatment. Prices may vary (in Norwegian) from dentist to dentist, and NAV may choose to grant financial assistance to cover a less expensive treatment option.
If you needed emergency dental work, you must include the bill and a statement from your dentist if you are applying for financial assistance with the bill.
You can apply for assistance with covering the deposit when you sign a lease if you do not have the means to cover it yourself.
NAV normally provides this type of assistance in the form of a deposit guarantee, but may also offer financial assistance in the form of a deposit to an escrow account.
Many people are getting very high electricity bills right now and are struggling to be able to pay them. Several temporary arrangements have been established to help households with high electricity costs.
What can NAV help you with?
If you need financial assistance with your electricity bill, you may qualify for financial assistance from NAV.
When the NAV office is considering your application, they may require you to apply for housing allowance from the Norwegian State Housing
Housing allowance from the Norwegian State Housing Bank
If you have low income and high housing expenses, housing allowance from the Norwegian State Housing Bank can be an option for you. The housing allowance is paid the month after you apply.
The Storting has extended this housing allowance scheme until the end of 2023. This means more people may qualify for housing allowance and more people are being granted a housing allowance.
Those who receive a housing allowance for October, November and December 2023 will receive an additional amount to cover electricity costs in addition to the regular amount. On the Housing Bank’s website, you can also read more about the extra electricity allowance through the housing allowance scheme. (in Norwegian).
Read more and apply for housing allowance at husbanken.no. Remember to apply by the application deadline specified on the Housing Bank’s website.
Other assistance schemes to cover electricity costs
- Compensation scheme for high electricity costs: The Storting has decided that households will get a deduction in the bill from their grid company or electricity provider when electricity prices are extraordinarily high. The scheme will be active throughout 2023. Go to regjeringen.no to read more about the electricity support scheme (in Norwegian).
If you have low income and high housing expenses, a housing allowance from the Norwegian State Housing Bank can be an option for you. Read more about housing allowances at husbanken.no. You can also watch this video about housing allowance (English text).
How we assess your situation
We assess your need for financial assistance with you and perform an individual assessment of your application.
In our assessment, we take into account all of your necessary living expenses, your income and your potential for future income.
We also take into account your age, your family circumstances, your living situation and your health. If you have children, we emphasize their needs in our assessment.
It is important that you tell us about all of your income and expenses, in order for us to accurately assess your situation and your need for assistance.
Do you have trouble paying your debt?
Normally, financial assistance cannot be used to pay debt. If you have debt, you can get financial counselling. Among other things, you can get help to negotiate a payment plan with your creditors, better terms of your loan, or an extension.
In some cases, NAV will consider granting financial assistance to cover debts. This includes, for example, situations where you are about to have the electricity to your home disconnected, and there are no other options available to prevent this from happening.
You are entitled to information, advice and guidance regardless of whether you qualify for financial assistance. The following information is in Norwegian:
How much can I get?
How much you can get in financial assistance will depend on your situation, your income and your expenses.
All municipalities have indicative rates for subsistence. Some municipalities have their own rates, while other municipalities follow the state's indicative rates.
State guidelines for financial subsistence benefits, as adopted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion.
These rates are valid from 1 July 2023.
Benefit paid to | Amount |
---|---|
Singles | NOK 7,550 |
Married/cohabitant couples | NOK 12,600 |
Person living in shared accommodation | NOK 6,350 |
Children aged 0–5 | NOK 3,700 |
Children aged 6–10 | NOK 3,800 |
Children aged 11–17 | NOK 4,950 |
The rates are used as a starting point to calculate how much you can be paid, but this must also be assessed based on your situation. The rates cover expenses for the basic needs such as food, clothing, communication, household items, hygiene and more. Living expenses, such as rent and electricity, are added.
Are you married, live with a partner, or have a child?
As a provider, you have certain rights and obligations. If you are married or live with a partner, and you have a child together, you have a mutual obligation to provide for your joint child. If you are married, you and your spouse have a mutual obligation to provide for each other.
If you are married, you and your spouse have a mutual obligation to provide for each other. This means that we will consider your collective financial situation when we assess your need for financial assistance.
If your spouse has an income, but they are not supporting you financially, we will consider your financial situation and potentially grant financial assistance. Examples of situations where this could be relevant include:
- if you are staying in a crisis shelter
- if you are living in hiding from an abusive spouse
- if you are trying to get away from a forced marriage
- if your spouse is serving time in prison
- if your spouse is not providing for you for other reasons
If you have children, other obligations and arrangements apply when you are applying for financial assistance. We emphasize children’s needs in our assessment.
Child benefit does not affect how much you can get in financial assistance.
If you are not the custodial parent for your children, you can apply for assistance with expenses in connection with contact. Financial assistance for contact will normally be considered based on the scope of contact.
Children over the age of 18 have the right to have their situation assessed on an individual basis in terms of financial assistance. As a parent, you may be ordered to provide for children over the age of 18, provided the child is in school and you have the means to do so.
Children are not obligated to provide for their parents or siblings. If your child has a job in their spare time or in school holidays, this income will not be included in the family’s finances when we assess the need for financial assistance.
Partners who live together do not have a mutual obligation to provide for each other. However, if you have a child together, we will normally consider both of your finances when we assess the need for financial assistance.
Parents who live together and have joint children have an obligation to provide for their children within the framework of their financial situation. This means that the one of you who has an income high enough to provide for your joint child, is expected to do so alone. In families where one or both parents have children from previous relationships, we may assess part of the family separately.
For how long can I get assistance?
Financial assistance is a temporary benefit. How long you can get assistance for will depend on your situation.
You should consider other means of supporting yourself. This could include employment, other means of income or using your own savings.
If you need help finding out what your options are, please contact your NAV office. You can also call us.
Application and documentation
Before you apply
When you apply, you must provide information about yourself and your financial situation. Normally, you must document your information through attachments to your application.
- proof of identity
- a valid residence permit
- your tax return
- your tax settlement
- your pay slip, if you have a job
- bank statements for all of your bank accounts, including current balances
- documentation of housing (lease)
- bills for what you have applied for assistance with, such as rent or electricity
Application for financial assistance
Financial assistance is a temporary assistance for those who are unable to financially support themselves.
You can apply for financial assistance with things you need assistance with. There is only one application form, where you describe what you need assistance with. You apply to the NAV office in the municipality where you currently stay.
You can both apply digitally and find a paper form here on nav.no.
Each municipality has its own application form you can use. You may as well get the application form at your nearest NAV office.
The application form is available in Norwegian and English.
Submit paper application
If you can’t apply digitally, you can still use a paper form to apply for financial assistance.
You can download the application on paper here
Download the application for financial assistance
If you want to use municipality’s own application, you can find it on their website. You can find your municipality’s website at:
www.[your municipality].kommune.no
such as www.oslo.kommune.no
Get the paper form at your NAV office
If you can’t find the form on your municipality’s website, you can go to the NAV office to get a paper form.
You can find the address and telephone number to your closest NAV office under find your NAV office.
How to submit your application
You can submit your application to the NAV office or send it by mail.
If you need help
Please contact your NAV office if you need help finding or filling out the application form.
Submit information
If you have already submitted an application and you want to provide additional information, you can do that under Your applications
If you have applied digitally
You can submit information for a digital applicaation. This is how you do it:
- Go to the list of your applications
- Find the application you want to submit information for
- Upload the attachments you want to include
Make sure you upload your attachments to the correct application.
If you have applied on paper
If you submitted an application on paper, you must submit any additional information to your NAV office. You can also submit information by mail.
The status of your application and processing times
If you have applied digitally, you can find a list of all of your applications for assistance at nav.no. The page is in Norwegian. Here you can among other things follow the status of your application and see if you need to submit additional information before we can process it.
Processing time for applications
The processing time for financial assistance varies. If it is more than one month, you will receive a provisional reply.
If your need for help is acute, you should receive a prompt response.
If we need more information to process your application, we will contact you. In order to get a quick response to the application, you should provide the information we need as soon as possible.
Are you in an emergency?
Then you should contact the NAV office in the municipality where you live.
If your situation changes
If there are changes in your situation, it may affect the follow-up or the payment you receive from NAV. That’s why it is important that you notify NAV about it. It can for example be changes in your income, family or employment situation, and others.
If you are married or living with your partner, you must also notify NAV if your spouse’s/partner’s situation changes.
If you are not sure whether your change will affect your payment, there will be more information in the notice of decision you received from us. You can also call us.
- You start earning more or less than what you have previously told NAV.
- You get a payment in the form of dividend on shares, funds, the sale of property/assets, etc.
- Your marital status changes, such as getting married or divorced, moving in with or separating from a partner, or your partner/spouse dies.
- Your family situation changes because you have a child, one of your children moves out, or you no longer provide for your child or children.
- You are planning an extended stay abroad or planning to move abroad.
- You are moving out of the municipality you currently live in.
After you have got a response on your application
When your application has been processed, you will receive a written response, also called a notice of decision. You are entitled to have an individual assessment of your case included in the letter.
The letter also includes information about activities you must participate in as part of your follow-up from NAV.
NAV may require, often called a condition, that you reduce your expenses, increase your income and participate in activities in order to qualify for financial assistance.
Activity requirements
The goal of requiring your participation in an activity is for you to be able to provide for yourself.
For example, NAV may require that you
- attend counselling interviews,
- apply to relevant jobs,
- participate in employment seminars and schemes,
- participate in work training or other employment activities,
- participate in education and training programmes
For applicants under the age of 30
If you are under 30 years old, NAV will require you to participate in certain activities in order to qualify for financial assistance. The goal is to help you find employment or start an education, so that you will be able to provide for yourself with your own income.
If you fail to meet the requirements
If you fail to meet the requirements you agreed to with NAV, it may have consequences for your financial assistance from NAV.
When is the money paid out?
Payment dates vary from municipality to municipality. You will find information about payments in the letter you have received regarding our decision and in Your payments (in Norwegian).
If the payment date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, you will normally receive your payment on the day before.
Holiday pay
There is no holiday pay on this benefit.
Tax
No tax is deducted from the money.
Financial assistance and holiday
As a general rule, you must stay in Norway to be entitled to financial assistance.
If you are going to travel abroad, you must clarify this with the NAV office before you travel. Traveling abroad can affect your payments.
Contact us if you are going on holiday or traveling abroad.
Appeal
If you believe we made an error when we processed your application, you may appeal.
Submit your appeal to the NAV office that processed your application. The term of appeal is three weeks from the date on which he received notice of the decision.
There is no digital appeal form on nav.no, so you must submit your appeal by mail or submit it to your NAV office directly. Find the visiting address and mailing address to your NAV office here.
What should the appeal include?
- The decision against which the appeal is made. You can also include the decision you are appealing.
- What you believe the error is, and why you believe an error has been made.
- Your signature
You can include information as an attachment with your appeal.
Do you need help with an appeal?
Your NAV office can help you if you need help writing your appeal. Request a meeting at your NAV office. If you want to bring a person you trust with you, you can do that.
You can also go through a lawyer or authorize someone else to appeal on your behalf.
Municipalities may have different processing time for appeals. If it is more than one month, you will receive a notification that the processing time is extended.
Appeals are processed again by the NAV office that originally processed your application. It varies from municipality to municipality how long you have to wait for a response. If more than a month goes by, you are entitled to a preliminary response. If your appeal is successful, you will receive another notice of decision.
If your appeal is not successful, it will be forwarded to the County Governor, who will do a new assessment of your case. The NAV office will notify you in writing if this happens. The County Governor will inform you of processing times and what will happen next with your appeal.
Once the County Governor has decided your case, you will be notified in writing. If the County Governor sides with you, the NAV office must process your application again and you will receive a new notice of decision.
If your appeal succeeds, you may be entitled to compensation for necessary costs incurred in connection with getting the decision changed. One example of such costs are legal costs. If that is relevant for you, you can submit a claim for compensation for legal costs to the NAV office that changed, sometimes called revised, the decision.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Contact us
Call us at 55 55 33 33
Open weekdays at 9–15. We can call you back if the waiting time is over 5 min.
See more phone numbers and calling options