Montaha Dakak (43) was born healthy, but in 2003 his life was turned upside down. Then she fell down a flight of stairs and later had two botched operations in Syria. – I ended up in a wheelchair and have lots of illnesses, she says. It was a shock for the mother of three. In September 2014, Montaha came to Norway as a quota refugee. She was then 36 years old. REFUSAL: An amendment to the National Insurance Act led to Montaha being refused disability benefits. Photo: Dana Khalouf / news Was refused disability benefits Due to poor health, she was paid work verification money. Montaha applied for disability benefits, but a change in the National Insurance Act led to her being refused. Because from 1 January 2021, the special rules on refugees were discontinued. This led to refugees who are already disabled when they arrive in Norway no longer having the right to disability benefits. To be entitled to disability benefits, you must have been a member of the National Insurance Act for five years. For refugees, this means that the damage must have occurred five years after they arrived in Norway. Refugees who do not have at least five years of social security, and who have applied for the change, will instead receive supplementary benefits. It is around NOK 20,000 a month, in line with disability benefits. The benefit is reduced kroner for kroner against the income you and your spouse, cohabitant or partner have together. This means that all other income and benefits are deducted from the benefit. According to Nav, Montaha is entitled to NOK 23,039 each month, but she receives NOK 1,483. – This is because my husband receives a salary of NOK 21,556 a month before tax, so his entire amount is deducted from my support. It is very hard not being able to provide for the family, says Montaha. In the end, she had to apply for social assistance. She has to apply for that every month, and the amount varies. – The change has major consequences for this group Anna Juliusdottir at the Office for Free Legal Aid says that the change has major consequences for this group. – I see this change in the law as part of the development in recent years, where the right to national insurance benefits cf. the National Insurance Act is being restricted more and more. Juliusdottir says that more people are becoming dependent on social benefits. – It provides less financial security and predictability, she says. It is difficult to estimate how many people will be affected by the change. – But there will probably be more as this is a relatively new change in the law. Basically, it applies to everyone who has been granted asylum and is disabled for work when they come to Norway, and otherwise meets the conditions for disability benefits. CRITICAL: Dakak criticizes NAV for lack of information and bad advice. Photo: Dana Khalouf / news Criticizes Nav for bad advice Montaha believes that it was Nav that did not give her good and correct advice about applying for disability benefits before the change took place and before supplementary benefits were introduced. Had she applied for disability benefits before 2021, she would have been entitled to disability benefits. – I only speak a little Norwegian and have major problems understanding the system. For two years I asked about when and how I should apply for disability benefits, but I never got help, she explains. Katrine Christiansen, head of NAV Drammen, says that disability benefits have not been a topic, either from Montaha or them, until February this year. – She has always been clear that the goal was to get a job. An Arabic interpreter has been used in several of the follow-up meetings, says Christiansen. – The fact that Montaha has always had a desire to learn Norwegian and get a job would have made it difficult to be fully clarified anyway if she had applied at the end of 2020 before the rule change. She emphasizes that Montaha has received continuous and good follow-up – Many people struggle to get their everyday life together. Thomas Norvoll, State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion, says that he understands that Montaha experiences the economic situation as challenging. Thomas Norvoll, State Secretary in the Ministry of Employment and Inclusion. Photo: regjeringen.no – In the times we are experiencing now, with high electricity prices and increased food prices, there are many who find it extra tough. – That’s why we have Nav. It is important that those who cannot make it work financially, now seek help from Nav. It is our common safety net that will ensure that you have enough to live on no matter what. – Nav has a duty to make an individual assessment in all cases. The Ministry of Labor and Inclusion has followed this up extra this year, by sending a supervisor to all Nav offices in the municipalities, he says – Unfairly treated Montaha wants a predictable everyday life where she does not have to apply for social assistance every month. Every year she must apply for supplementary benefit. She must also document her finances several times a year to confirm that the conditions are met. – Everyday life is challenging. The diseases give me pain all the time. In addition, I am psychologically troubled by everything that happens around me, says Montaha. Those who, on the other hand, are granted disability benefits, receive a fixed monthly amount mostly until they become old-age pensioners. – Sitting in a wheelchair, not going to school and not knowing the language, is not something I chose. I feel that I am being punished for it and being treated unfairly, she says.
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Change in the National Insurance Act means that more disabled refugees are without the right to disability benefits – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
