Social Insurance Agency & Housing
What does it mean?
Försäkringskassan administers Sweden's social insurance system and handles several important housing support programs. Housing allowance (bostadsbidrag) targets families with children on low incomes and young people (18-28) without children. The allowance is based on income, rent, apartment size, and number of family members. Housing supplement (bostadstillägg) supports retirees and people on sickness or activity compensation.
To apply for housing allowance, you do so via Försäkringskassan's website or app. The allowance is paid monthly but reconciled against your actual annual income — be prepared to repay if your income turns out higher than estimated. Housing supplement for retirees can be up to SEK 7,500 per month and is applied for separately. Försäkringskassan regularly checks that conditions are still met.
Key Points
- Housing allowance for families with children and young people (18-28) on low incomes
- Housing supplement for retirees — up to SEK 7,500/month
- Based on income, rent, and family size
- Apply via forsakringskassan.se or the app
- Reconciled annually — be prepared to repay if income was higher than estimated
Practical Tip
Apply for housing allowance as soon as you qualify — it's not paid retroactively. Be careful to update your income information to avoid large repayment demands at the annual reconciliation.