– The problem is that those who need help do not apply. It is too difficult and too complicated. People don’t dare, says Elisabeth Thorsen. She is the county leader in Agder for the voluntary organization Hjelp oss å hæver. On average, there were 129,000 people who received social assistance in 2022, shows a recent Nav report. Thorsen believes the figure does not correspond to the number of food bags they distribute during a week. She believes Nav’s systems scare away many who need help. – It’s bullshit, says Elisabeth Thorsen and adds that more people come to get help from them now than before the pandemic. She says that before the pandemic they handed out around 50 food bags a week. Now that number has risen to almost 200. Elisabeth Thorsen says they hand out more food bags than before the pandemic. Photo: Ina Marie Sigurdsen / news Good labor market The Nav report that came out today shows that recipients of social assistance increased by 0.2 per cent from 2021 to 2022. It is still less than what Nav feared. – There may be reason to believe that the good labor market in isolation has contributed to a reduced need for social assistance last year, particularly among young people. At the same time, it can be assumed that those with loans, for example, have taken various measures to reduce expenses, says Hans Christian Holte, director of employment and welfare at Nav. The report also shows that there was no increase in recipients of financial social assistance last year, compared to 2019. Financial social assistance Financial social assistance is often called the “last safety net” in our welfare state. Economic social assistance is a right for those who do not have the opportunity to pay for their own subsistence. The scheme is intended to be a temporary allowance to cover basic needs for those who have no other income. A concrete and individual assessment must be made of the individual’s situation and need for assistance. The government guidelines cover expenses for very basic needs, such as food, clothing, communication, household items and hygiene, as well as leisure and social needs. Fixed expenses for, among other things, housing, electricity and heating are included in the cost of living, but are not included in the indicative rates. We assess how much you can get in financial support based on your situation, income and expenses. According to new figures from Nav, approximately 129,000 people in Norway received financial social assistance in 2022. Sources: The Government, NAV and Statistics Norway. Only part of the truth Section leader in Nav in Kristiansand Jon Arne Karstensen believes that the report only tells part of the truth. – There is always an under-reporting with such reports. We have not had a large increase in social assistance payments. It can still mean an increase in poverty even if you are not at a social assistance level. Much of the criticism Nav faces is that they are not accessible enough, confirms Karstensen. He encourages anyone who needs help to get in touch as soon as possible. – Accessibility is a key word here, and we are constantly working on that. Jon Arne Karstensen, head of Nav in Kristiansand, hopes people dare to contact them if they need help. Photo: Ina Marie Sigurdsen / news Shamefully Jannicke Tønnesland is a single mother and previously depended on financial help. Now she volunteers, among other things, for Help us to help. She believes that there are more people who need help now, and that the statistics therefore do not show the reality. – It is humiliating and shameful. It is terribly difficult to go to Nav. It’s horrible for a lot of people, says the single mother from Kristiansand. Jannicke Tønnesland and Elisabeth Thorsen volunteer at the aid organization Hjelp oss å hæver. Photo: Ina Marie Sigurdsen / news Section leader Karstensen praises the work of the private organisations. – They make a huge effort to help people where we cannot reach. Karstensen’s hope is that those who depend on financial help can meet the advisers at Nav with lowered shoulders and without much bureaucracy. – There are probably many people who refuse to make contact with the public. We have to normalize that we are here to help, and are constantly working to lower that threshold. Nina Vo is a supervisor at the Nav office in Kristiansand. She meets people in financially difficult situations every day. – It can be demanding and show them that we are not just a Nav office but actually want to help, she says. Nina Vo is a supervisor at NAV in Kristiansand and meets people who are dependent on financial help. Photo: Ina Marie Sigurdsen / news Listening to the criticism The last quarter of 2022 had an increase of 17 percent who received social assistance, compared to the previous year. Director of Labor and Welfare Holte writes that, as a rule, most people receive social assistance at the beginning of the year. But last year stands out with a stronger increase from August. – Almost the entire increase is due to many recipients of social assistance among Ukrainian refugees. Regarding the criticism from the aid organisation, Holte writes to news that they listen to it, and will use it to get better at the work they do. – I think it is sad that someone experiences being met in such a way. We are constantly working to improve, and we at Nav must meet everyone with respect and recognition. – When people come to us, regardless of whether the financial challenges are ongoing, new or upcoming, we always try to look at what opportunities and rights may be relevant for the person in question. Director of Labor and Welfare at Nav Hans Christian Holte says there is reason to believe that a good labor market has contributed to reducing the need for financial social assistance. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news Holte says that the documentation Nav requests when someone applies for social assistance is not to make anyone suspicious. – It may be necessary to clarify the individual’s need for help and to find good solutions together. We do our best to ensure that everyone is met with respect and recognition when they approach us, but understand that it can be difficult to make contact.
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Nav figures surprise – fewer on social assistance than expected – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
