On Monday this week, it became clear that the government and SV want to give a handshake to those who receive social benefits. The opinion is that social assistance recipients will get an extra NOK 1,000 to spend before Christmas, plus a further NOK 1,000 per child. But the proposal has not been formally adopted yet. It won’t happen until December 21. This means that NAV has only two working days to get the money out before Christmas. There is not enough time, believes Heidi Bolte – head of social services at NAV Bodø. Several municipalities are now taking steps to ensure that the money arrives before Christmas. And some go even further – they give more money than the government has promised. Mayor of Nesna, Hanne Davidsen, says it is not a competition to give the most. But that she is happy that more municipalities are jumping on the trend they started. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news Giving twice as much as the government – We have chosen to give extra support to those who have the least this year. That’s what the mayor of Nesna municipality, Hanne Davidsen, says. Nesna municipality has chosen to give NOK 2,000 to those who receive social assistance, plus a further NOK 1,000 per child. It was adopted at the municipal council meeting on 7 December. The mayor will not say how big the total amount will be for Nesna. She does not want to go out with the number of how many people receive benefits. There are 1,900 people living in Nesna. Photo: Hans Petter Sørensen / People’s action for higher education in Helgeland This will thus be in addition to the government’s thousands of pounds which will probably come over the New Year. – We were out earlier than the government, so we didn’t know they were going to do this, says the mayor. Getting support after support The mayor says that they have received a good response, both from the residents of Nesna and from other municipalities. – We got some extra money from the Aquaculture Fund. We think this was a good way to use money. Herøy municipality in Nordland has 1,825 inhabitants and plans to spend around 100,000 on extra measures aimed at those who receive benefits. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news Now she registers that several of the neighboring municipalities have also thrown themselves into the joy of giving. – You have to do it the way it suits your municipality. If it means something from or to someone at Christmas, it means everything, says Davidsen. The same amount as Nesna Herøy and Hattfjelldal municipality in Nordland also unanimously decided to give the same amount as Nesna. – We want to give an extra NOK 2,000 per recipient and an additional NOK 1,000 per child, says Elbjørg Larsen (Ap), mayor of Herøy. Elbjørg Larsen, mayor of Herøy municipality, says that there was goodwill from all the representatives in the municipal council: – This is important, because it has been a difficult autumn for many. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news – We were aware that the government brought its gift package the day before. Nevertheless, we think it’s great to be able to join in and support those who need it most. The sum of approximately NOK 100,000 is taken from the municipality’s disposition fund, and it is NAV that will ensure that the money reaches those who need it. Advances the money In order for the “Christmas gift” to arrive in time, Bodø municipality has chosen to advance the money from its own pocket. – The Government and the Storting were vague in their proposals. We have chosen to release the support to those who received social benefits in December, says Bolte. But that means they don’t know the nuances of the decision. In other words, someone who is not entitled to the support may end up receiving an unexpected pre-Christmas gift of a thousand. Still others will get money later. 581 people in Bodø get the money from the government, which Bodø municipality pays from its own pocket before Christmas. Of these, 246 are children. Photo: Benjamin Fredriksen / Ola Helness / news But the government does not believe that they have been vague. – I am sure that those who are going to do this have understood what the Storting’s clear wish is, said the Labor Party’s Frode Jacobsen on Monday. It has been the government’s intention that the municipalities and NAV should work together to find a solution before Christmas. Despite the lack of a decision. – The intention is as clear as it can get. I expect that both the municipalities and Nav will do everything in their power to get the money out as quickly as possible, said Jacobsen. Not abnormally, KS tells news that they have the impression that many municipalities give extra “Christmas supplements”. They still do not have an overview of how many municipalities grant extra support for Christmas or how much the support is. In any case, there is nothing in the way of the municipalities being able to give extra for holidays. In the circular to the “Social Services Act” this is a separate point: 4.18.2.47 Holidays and anniversaries “Expenses related to special events and holidays can be part of the subsistence allowance after a concrete assessment of the service recipient’s overall situation. It is reasonable that recipients of financial benefits are given the opportunity to celebrate events such as Christmas, birthdays, baptisms or name days, confirmation or other anniversaries related to other religions or cultures. Special consideration must be given to children and young people’s need for social, religious and cultural belonging.”
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Nesna municipality gives more money to social assistance recipients – now more municipalities are following suit – news Nordland
