The case in summary Karina Blix Søvik, who has lived alone since 2015, expresses concern about the financial challenges she faces as a single person. Housing costs have increased by 45 percent for homeowners since 2021, and the key interest rate is at the highest level since autumn 2008. Over 1 million live alone in Norway, and of these, 1 in 4 answers that they cannot afford it. Karina wants politicians to include single households in political decisions. Ingvild Wetrhus Thorsvik from Venstre agrees with Karina and says the party will increase child benefit for single parents and introduce discounts for single parents. The government has taken measures to improve the situation for those who live alone, including by increasing student support and making dental health cheaper for everyone under 25. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – There is a constant state of worry, says Karina Blix Søvik. She is single and owns her own home. She can’t afford as much as before. We are in a time where most things have become more expensive, such as food, electricity and fuel. In addition, the key interest rate is now 4.5 per cent, which means that we are at the highest interest rate level since the autumn of 2008. Since 2021, housing costs have increased by as much as 45 per cent for home owners. And it becomes even more expensive when these expenses are to be paid by one person and not two. Housing costs have increased a lot in recent years. This means that it is now extra expensive to live alone. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news Tough strain – I experience it as tough, because I’m on my own with the finances, and I also have no safety net when I live alone. It is tough, she says. She says that she cannot afford to join as many social events as before. And that the holiday may have to be dropped. Over 1 million live in Norway alone, figures from Statistics Norway show. And the proportion only increases and increases: Of these, 1 in 3 answer that they have a vulnerable economy, i.e. more than 300,000, according to Statistics Norway’s living conditions survey from 2022. A vulnerable economy in this case is based on the fact that one does not have the opportunity to pay an unforeseen amount of NOK 20,000. – Singles must be included politically Karina is clear that she is not the one who is worst off. But she sees that many singles are struggling now. – As a single person, you become financially weaker the longer you live alone, she says. That is why she wants to put single households on the political map. – I want the large group that we are in Norway to be included when political decisions are made, she says. Do you agree with Linda? Should singles get a greater political priority? Yes, of course!😄 No, it should be the same for everyone!🙅♀️ Show result Karina Blix Søvik asks the politicians to do something to deal with the difficult situation she sees many single residents in. Photo: Hanne Høyland / news Will help single residents Ingvild Wetrhus Thorsvik is a parliamentary representative for the Liberal Party. She agrees with Søvik and says the party will do something about the tough situation for many singles: – We want to increase child benefit for single parents, in addition to introducing discounts for single parents, she says. Ingvild Wetrhus Thorsvik, Storting representative (V). The Liberal Party has several proposals for how the economy can be strengthened for people living alone. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news Venstre has for several years been concerned with singles politics. – We think it should be easier to only buy what you need. The personal allowance should also be increased so that those with a normal income are left with more money. Sifo’s reference budget shows that you save an average of around NOK 3,000 a month on consumer goods if you live in a relationship. It will be NOK 36,000 a year. Has introduced measures State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion Ellen Bakken (Ap) says the government is taking the demanding situation among single people today seriously. – For many young people who live alone, among other things, an increase in the student grant of NOK 9,000 a year and cheaper dental health for everyone under 25 help to provide a better economy, says Bakken. State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion, Ellen Bakken (Ap). She says the government’s most important job is safe and responsible financial management. Photo: Simen Gald The Ministry of Children and Families says the government has taken measures to improve the situation of those who live alone with children. – In 2023, the support for single parents was changed from a tax deduction to increased extended child benefit, says State Secretary Trine Fagervik (Sp). For single parents with a low income, this has therefore given a boost of up to NOK 11,500 a year from 2024. – To improve the financial situation for single parents, we have strengthened the extended child benefit by NOK 5,000 a year, says Fagervik. State Secretary in the Ministry of Children and Families, Trine Fagervik. She says the rate for the extended child benefit is NOK 2,516. Photo: Astrid Waller – A societal problem Linda Tofteng Eliassen is a consumer economist at Sparebank 1. She says that it is usually more expensive to live as a single than to live in a relationship. – If you are alone with housing expenses, then you will generally pay more than you would have done as a couple, she says. Consumer economist at Sparebank 1, Linda Tofteng Eliassen. She particularly highlights high housing costs for single people. Photo: SpareBank 1 In the big cities, you quickly have to shell out more than NOK 10,000 a month to rent an apartment. Electricity and internet may also be included. Eliassen also mentions that other factors such as loneliness can make the situation go from bad to worse. – If you are involuntarily alone, and you also feel that the finances are not enough: Then we are almost on the verge of having a social problem, says Eliassen.
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