The case in summary: Marita Brakstad, who is pregnant, receives neither parental allowance from Nav nor parental grant from Lånekassen. The due date for giving birth is two weeks after the deadline for getting Lånekassen money. To receive parental allowance from Nav, you must work for six out of ten months before giving birth. The on-call temporary job Marita has had does not qualify for this. Nor can Marita take a job as a psychologist now, because as a recent graduate she must have at least six months of continuous relevant practice before she can apply to become an authorized psychologist. Marita and her roommate, Ole Martin Eig, now have to get by on one income after the birth and use their savings. They are calling for more flexibility from government schemes for young parents. Minister of State Kjersti Toppe refers to the recently established birth committee, which will look at precisely such problems for young parents-to-be. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – We get stressed and don’t quite know what to do. Marita Brakstad and Ole Martin Eig were overjoyed when they discovered in May that they were expecting a child at the end of January. But this summer the young couple got serious. The seriousness of money. Top politicians have been asking young people to have children for years. Health professionals are asking couples to plan less. Brakstad and Eig have taken them at their word. But a little too late, they found out that they should have planned more. For the newly graduated and future mother, she qualifies for neither maternity grant from Lånekassen nor parental allowance from Nav. – It’s a bit ill-thought-out that it is possible to end up between these two chairs, says Brakstad. The first and so far the only children’s playground in the apartment. A worry Marita’s mother bought on holiday in Vietnam. Martia’s mother also bought these baby shoes on holiday. This time in Singapore. The couple haven’t been able to buy much other baby equipment yet Troubled due date Several coincidences mean they are now in a bind: In June, Brakstad completed his master’s in psychology. If the due date for childbirth had been before 15 January, she could have received a maternity grant from Lånekassen. But the deadline is 31 January. To receive parental allowance from Nav, you must work for six out of ten months before giving birth. But the on-call temporary job Brakstad has had as a student turns out not to qualify for this. – It is not appropriate to initiate labor earlier in order to receive the Lånekassen grant? – It is a bit rough, we think. It won’t be quite right, they say and smile. Ole Martin and Marita are looking forward to having children. But I think the system works against them. Photo: Silje Rognsvåg / news Nav and Lånekassen confirm to news that they cannot, or to a small extent, exercise discretion in such matters. This is what Nav and Lånekassen Communications Director Anette Bjerke at Lånekassen answers: – The seven-month deadline for receiving a parental grant is always calculated from either 15 January or 15 June. It is linked to the rules for when the period of loans and grants ends. – Lånekassen has no right to make a discretionary assessment of this. – You will receive a parental grant even if the birth were to take place after the deadline, if the due date is within the deadline. Section manager Lene Lied, Nav: – We can exercise little discretion in such cases. – The single-entry allowance is cash support from Nav if a parent has not had an income that entitles them to parental allowance. – In addition, you can apply for financial social assistance to pay living expenses. – There may be various support schemes in the individual municipality that can help young couples in education who do not receive parental allowance or parental grant. – Have to put my entire career on hold. Marita Brakstad doesn’t have the chance to take a job as a psychologist either now. In fact, the Directorate of Health advises her by e-mail to wait until after the parental leave is over. news has seen the email. The reason is that, as a recent graduate, she must have at least six months of continuous relevant practice before she can apply to become an authorized psychologist, a so-called license period, and this coincides with the due date. – If we had planned to have children, we wouldn’t have had the chance until our late 20s. Otherwise, you almost have to put your entire career on hold, and then you face a financial predicament, says Brakstad. It has taken time to find out everything, and double check it with Nav and Lånekassen. Photo: Silje Rognsvåg / news Calling for more flexibility The couple is now calling for more flexibility from government schemes, especially for new, young parents. Marita Brakstad asks the state to show more flexibility. Photo: Silje Rognsvåg / news – Be a little more flexible in the arrangements and let it be more situational. Possibly extend the grace period so that there is a bit more overlap, and you can end up under a support scheme regardless of the situation, says Brakstad. She meets understanding from the highest political level in Norway: – I understand very well that this is very boring for the expectant parents! It fell between two arrangements. This is according to Family and Children’s Minister Kjersti Toppe (Sp). – At the same time, it is the case that schemes must have certain frameworks, she underlines. Tasks for the birth committee The Prime Minister opens in order to be more flexible, but left it to the newly appointed birth committee to look into such matters in the future. – The committee must look at measures that may be particularly important for young people. I hope that we can close these gaps that future parents may experience in the transition from student to working life, says Toppe. Minister of State Kjersti Toppe (Sp) has asked the birth committee to find measures to have more rather than fewer children. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news It’s bittersweet to use the savings But it will take several years before the politicians can change anything. – When you sit there as a student and have a loaf of bread with salami for dinner, it’s nice to think that “one day I’ll get a good salary”. And now it will be postponed for another two years. It is bitter, says Brakstad. In the middle of everything, they are lucky. They have savings that should go towards buying a house. Now it has to be used for baby equipment, nappies and baby food – and rent and food. – We’ll probably manage, but imagine if we hadn’t had it? Then we still had to go to the streets, says the couple. Tip for others: – Think money! In addition, they receive a one-off allowance from the state of NOK 92,000, and as a final-year student and new father, Ole Martin Eig will receive some extra stipend and loan for two to three months. – The student aid he receives is not much to brag about for two people, or three for that matter, says Brakstad. Her job hunt has also not bore fruit so far. And there is hardly too much to save on becoming a student. The parents-to-be have the following tips for others in a similar situation: – Think about money right away. It’s a shame that money is the first thing you have to focus on, says Brakstad. – And double check what job position you have, and that Nav approves it altogether, says Eig. Published 18.09.2024, at 05.28
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New graduate and pregnant Marita receive neither parental allowance nor parental grant – news Vestland
