Social assistance in Norway 2026. What you can get from NAV, the municipality and Husbanken and where to start

When you suddenly lose your job, the rent rises, a relationship falls apart, a child becomes ill or you simply start to run out of money for basic expenses, the Norwegian support system can look like a labyrinth.

NAV, municipality, Husbanken, barnehage, family benefits, sosialhjelp, bostøtte, dagpenger, pleiepenger, uføretrygd.

On top of that, Norwegian names and dozens of conditions.

So the most important thing is this: don't try to immediately determine "which benefit I am entitled to".

First answer the question: what problem are you trying to solve.

Do you not have money to buy food?

Are you unable to pay the rent?

Have you lost your job?

Are you raising a child alone?

Do you have serious debt problems?

Are you unable to work for health reasons?

Do you have to quit your job to care for a sick child?

Only then do we look for the right path.

In Your Norway, we go through the most important situations in order.

Information status: 10 September 2026.

Single parent in Norway. A lot has changed here since July 2026

A few years ago the answer was relatively simple. A single parent could check, among others, overgangsstønad, stønad til barnetilsyn, stønad til skolepenger, additional education-related benefits and utvidet barnetrygd. That is exactly how the 2021 piece described it.

However, from 1 July 2026 the system has been significantly changed.

The Storting decided on the gradual phasing out of overgangsstønad and some other special benefits for the majority of new single parents. The change applies to new cases. People who had already been granted the benefit earlier or are subject to transitional provisions may still have rights under the previous rules. The transitional period for some of these benefits will last until 30 June 2031.

Under the new rules overgangsstønad remains, among others, for some people who are single caregivers of a child under 14 months and for a child requiring special supervision. NAV determines individually which provisions apply to a specific person.

Stønad til skolepenger is being phased out for new cases from 1 July 2026.

However, this does not mean that a single parent has been left without support.

Among other things, utvidet barnetrygd still exists. Since February 2026 it amounts to 2572 NOK per month above the ordinary barnetrygd. With split barnetrygd the extended supplement amounts to 1286 NOK.

Therefore, if you are a single parent, do not use the benefits table found in an article from several years ago. Go directly to the NAV website and check whether you are subject to the old, transitional or new rules.

Can't afford your rent? Check bostøtte

Bostøtte is a state housing support administered by Husbanken in cooperation with the municipalities.

It is intended primarily for individuals and households that have low income and high housing costs.

The amount of the benefit depends, among other things, on the income of the entire household and housing costs. Husbanken takes into account pre-tax income and applies specific income limits.

And here is an important correction compared with older information.

Housing allowance is not simply money for renovations, buying a home or refinancing a loan. It is a benefit that helps cover ongoing housing costs when incomes are low and housing expenses are high. Husbanken also has other housing programs, but they should not be mixed up with the housing allowance.

The easiest way is to go to the Husbanken calculator and check your situation.

If you receive financial social assistance for housing costs, the municipality may also require that you first apply for the housing allowance.

Have you lost your income and have nothing to live on? Financial social assistance may be the last safety net

This is one of the most important elements of the Norwegian system.

Financial social assistance is a temporary aid for a person who is unable to cover necessary expenses on their own.

Anyone has the right to apply and have their situation assessed. As a rule, you must legally reside in Norway and make use of other available options to obtain income. NAV assesses each case individually.

You can apply, among other things, for money for food, rent, electricity, clothing, transport, necessary medical treatment or other essential expenses. In urgent situations you can also apply for emergency aid. If you do not have a place to sleep for the next 24 hours, the municipality also has a system of temporary accommodation.

However, that does not mean that NAV automatically pays a set amount to everyone.

For 2026 the national guidance rates for basic subsistence include, among others, 8300 NOK for a single person, 13 800 NOK for a married couple or couple living together, and 6950 NOK for a person living in a shared household. For children the guidance rates depend on age and range from 4050 to 5400 NOK per month. Housing and electricity costs are not included in these amounts and are assessed separately.

However, these are guideline rates, not guaranteed payments.

NAV must assess your actual situation.

Do you have a loan and suddenly lost your income? Don't wait until you fall behind on payments

Your first call should be to the bank.

If you can see that in a month or two you will not be able to pay an installment, it is much better to contact the bank before the problem arises than after several unpaid installments.

Possible solutions depend on the bank and the agreement. They may include changing the schedule, temporarily changing the repayment method, or other individual solutions.

As a rule NAV does not pay social assistance to repay private debts. There are, however, exceptions. NAV states plainly that in particular situations it may consider help with expenses related to debt, for example when without it a person may lose their home or be deprived of electricity and there is no other solution.

So the principle is:

don't expect NAV to pay off the loan, but also don't assume that there is no help in a critical situation.

Debts out of control? Before you consider bankruptcy, consult a free advisor

Older Polish materials often simplify this to the statement: "in Norway you can declare personal bankruptcy".

That does not accurately reflect the system.

For the average consumer, one of the most important tools is gjeldsordning, i.e. settling one's debts under a specific procedure.

Before the case goes to the county governor, it is worth trying to reach an agreement with creditors. If a standalone solution is not possible, you can apply for a formal debt settlement.

NAV also provides free financial and debt counselling.

The telephone number is 55 55 33 39.

You can get help there with debt collection, wage garnishment, the risk of forced sale of your home, budget planning or debt settlement. You can also arrange a meeting with an adviser at your local NAV.

So don’t hide debt collection letters in a drawer.

The earlier you react, the more options remain.

Is preschool too expensive? Check the reduced fee and free hours

Here too, the rules look completely different today than a few years ago.

From 1 August 2025 the maximum price for a regular preschool place is 1200 NOK per month. In the least central municipalities, belonging to zones 5 and 6 according to the SSB index, the maximum fee is 700 NOK. In the special Finnmark and Nord-Troms zone, preschool is free.

There is also a national system to reduce fees for low-income families.

A family should not pay more than 6 percent of its total income for a place for one child.

Children aged 2, 3, 4 and 5, as well as children with deferred school start, may, with low household incomes, be entitled to 20 free preschool hours per week. From 1 August 2026 the income threshold for free basic hours is 692 465 NOK per year.

If you have more children in preschool, there is also a sibling discount. The second child receives at least a 30 percent discount, and the third and subsequent children have a free place.

The application is submitted to the municipality.

You lost your job. What can NAV do?

The first step is to register as a job seeker and check entitlement to unemployment benefits.

But NAV is not just about paying benefits.

Depending on your situation, the agency may offer measures to help you return to the labour market, including training, labour market courses, language instruction, vocational qualifications, vocational college, and in certain cases higher education. NAV must, however, assess that the chosen form of education is necessary to increase your chances of finding work.

An important update concerns advances on unemployment benefits.

The special possibility of receiving an advance on unemployment benefits was a solution introduced during the pandemic. NAV confirms that the system operated from March 2020 to June 2021. Therefore, information in old articles about the pandemic advance should not be treated today as a current standard benefit.

If you are waiting for a decision on unemployment benefits and you have no money for food, rent or electricity, check the possibility of applying for financial social assistance or emergency assistance.

Death in the family. Funeral grant today amounts to a maximum of 30 898 NOK

The cost of a funeral can be a heavy burden and here NAV has a separate benefit.

The funeral grant helps cover the actual and necessary costs of the funeral.

For deaths from 1 January 2026 the maximum amount is 30 898 NOK.

For an adult, the benefit depends, among other things, on assets and certain benefits and insurance paid out after death. If the deceased was under 18 years old, assistance up to the maximum limit is not dependent on assets.

This is another important update, because in the 2021 material the amount given was 24 734 NOK.

Has your spouse or partner died? Don't look for the old gjenlevendepensjon anymore

This is a fundamental change.

From 1 January 2024 NAV does not grant new gjenlevendepensjon or the former overgangsstønad for surviving persons. In new cases the main benefit is omstillingsstønad.

It is intended to help a person after the death of a spouse, partner, or in certain cases a samboer with shared children to go through a period of adjustment to the new situation.

The full omstillingsstønad in 2026 amounts to 2,25 G, that is 307 235 NOK per year, about 25 603 NOK per month before tax. The income of the person receiving the benefit affects its amount.

The benefit is transitional. After six months, as a rule there is a requirement for work activity or activity aimed at work, and the normal period of receipt is a maximum of three years.

Therefore articles telling new widows and widowers today to apply for the old gjenlevendepensjon can be misleading.

Do you have a seriously ill or disabled child? Help can come from several sources at the same time

There is no single benefit here.

A family can use both NAV and municipal assistance.

Pleiepenger can replace the income of a person who must stop working to care for a child requiring constant care and supervision due to illness. As a rule, the child must remain under the care of specialist health services, and the need for care must be properly documented. Pleiepenger cover up to 100 percent of the base corresponding to sykepenger, up to a maximum of 6 G. In 2026 6 G amounts to 819 294 NOK per year.

Opplæringspenger, on the other hand, can replace income when a parent must participate in necessary training to learn to properly care for a child with a long-term illness or disability.

There are also omsorgspenger, the popular sykt barn-dager. For a chronically ill or disabled child you can apply for additional days. Currently this can be 10 additional days, and for a person caring alone 20. In certain cases they can be used until the end of the year in which the child turns 18.

On top of that there is municipal assistance.

If the care is particularly burdensome, one can apply, among other things, for avlastning, counseling and omsorgsstønad. Which form of assistance is appropriate is decided by the municipality after an individual assessment of the situation.

Can't work anymore because of health? Uføretrygd is not "simply 66 percent of the last salary"

This is one of the most frequently mistranslated topics.

Uføretrygd may be granted if a permanent illness or injury is the main cause of a lasting reduction in the ability to earn income.

As a rule you must be between 18 and 67 years old, be a member of folketrygden for the last five years before the illness or injury and have at least a 50 percent reduction in earning capacity. There are exceptions, among others for people transitioning from AAP or in the case of an approved occupational accident.

The amount of uføretrygd is not simply 66 percent of the last pay.

NAV generally takes 66 percent of the average pensionable income from the three best years out of the five years preceding the illness or injury, considering income up to a maximum of 6 G.

From 1 May 2026 one unit of G equals 136 549 NOK.

How to check whether your employer is setting aside OTP for you?

The old material here is also already largely outdated.

If a company is subject to the OTP obligation, an employee who meets the conditions should be covered by the scheme from the first day of work.

The current rules cover employees who are mandatory members of folketrygden, who have turned 13 years old and exceed the relevant income reporting threshold.

The minimum employer contribution is 2 percent of the salary.

Therefore, the old rule presented in the 2021 material does not apply, according to which an employee would first have to belong to folketrygden for 12 months, and the company could wait additional months before enrolling them in OTP. Such information still appears in the old material.

If you suspect that your employer does not have a correct pension scheme, check the information regarding your employment and pension and contact your employer, the pension provider or Skatteetaten.

Domestic violence. Here we do not wait for a “better moment”

If there is an immediate threat to life or health, call the emergency number 112.

If the situation does not require immediate police intervention but you need help, one of the first places may be a krisesenter.

And importantly: you do not have to need a place to sleep to seek help there.

Crisis centers also provide conversations, counseling and help to people who are trying to understand their situation or preparing to leave an abusive relationship.

The nationwide Vold- og overgrepslinjen also operates at 116 006. The service is free, can be contacted anonymously, and the phone is available 24/7.

On Dinutvei you can also find the nearest krisesenter, overgrepsmottak, legal aid, the police, support centers and other local services.

The most important rule: you do not have to first know what the benefit is called

This is probably the most important conclusion from the entire guide.

A person in a difficult situation does not have to know the Norwegian system better than the official.

If you lack money for food, say so.

If you face the risk of losing your housing, say so.

If you cannot work because you are caring for a seriously ill child, describe that situation in detail.

If you do not understand your decision from NAV, ask for an explanation.

If you received a refusal, read the information about appeals. For økonomisk sosialhjelp the deadline for klage is three weeks from receipt of the decision, and the local NAV can also help with writing the appeal.

The Norwegian system is not simple.

But it is much easier to navigate when, instead of asking “what can I get?”, we start with the question:

“I have this problem. Where should I report it?”

And that's exactly where it's worth starting.