Last Monday, news told the story of Stine Solum from Rognan. She was forced to sell the finest thing she owned, namely her bunad, in order to afford firewood. – When I published the print, I burst into tears, she told news. And Solum is just one of many who are struggling with the economy now. New figures from Statistics Norway show that 32 per cent are “procrastinated”, 11 per cent “tired”, and 6 per cent are “in a bad mood” when they talk about their personal finances. Stine Solum works part-time due to a nervous disorder. She would have liked to work more to avoid having to lay out the bunad for sale. But she can’t do that. If she goes over the salary ceiling, she has to pay more in tax and receive less in social security. Red politician Mímir Kristjánsson reacts to that. – It is heartbreaking that people have to take such drastic steps as selling bunad, for example, says Kristjánsson. Incipient poverty crisis – This is just one of many examples that we are starting to have a poverty crisis in Norway. He points out that Stine, like many others in Norway today, lives below the EU’s poverty line. – She has done nothing other than get a nervous illness and tries to work as much as possible on the side. She does exactly what the politicians say they want. Solum says that it is the ceiling for how much she can earn with disability benefits that is the main problem. It does not follow the price increase in society. – Those of us who do everything we can to be out of work are forced by the state to sit in a poverty pit. Nobody wants to be disabled, and we are also punished for it. She could get a more stable income if she chose to receive full disability benefits. Stine Solum would of course rather have worked more than selling bunad. But the congenital nerve disease means that she cannot always do that. Photo: Private – I refuse to do that. It means so much to me to be out at work, she says. It is about self-respect, a sense of mastery and being part of society. That’s why she doesn’t want to go that way. Instead, she lives in fear of gaining too much. He was close to doing that in June. – It said that if I didn’t take care, I would have my social security reduced. It should be unnecessary to give us the feeling that we must be careful not to be too much at work. – If I’m lucky and have a good year in terms of health, it shouldn’t be necessary to be reduced to social security and have to pay back. This is what Nav says about disability benefits and work: NAV wrote in an e-mail to news that disability benefits will be based on 66 per cent of the average of the three best years of income in the last five years before a person becomes ill. – It will pay off to work, because disability benefits and income are higher than performance benefits alone. Payment of the disability benefit will be adjusted up if your income becomes lower again, says section manager Bente Thori-Aamot. The fact that income that exceeds the income limit leads to a reduction of disability benefit is determined by law through the National Insurance Act. Is it a parody Kristjánson believes on the basis of this that it will be a parody when deputy leader of the Labor Party, Tonje Brenna, talks about the work line last week. Then Brenna said that the left side is too unconcerned with finding out how “the big systems” can be used to ensure that those who can work a little can do so. This was also the topic of “The Debate” on news 1 on Thursday last week. – Some have to be on benefits because they cannot work, but quite a few can work either a little or – with some help – quite a lot more, she said. It is these statements that Kristjánson believes are a parody. – Here we have a person who wants to work more, but who, due to rules in the Nav system, cannot earn more. He adds: – Thus, we are in a situation where it is not worthwhile to work, as the politicians fuss about inhaling and exhaling. Red politician Mímir Kristjánsson’s mother has been on disability benefits for several years because she has cancer: – It is not meant for her to work. Then she must be able to live on social security. That is not the case today. Photo: HÅKON JONASSEN NORHEIM / news Tonje Brenna: – Must have two thoughts in the head Tonje Brenna thinks Raudt forgets that the most important thing both for people and the community is work for everyone. – We have to have two thoughts in our heads at the same time. Their one-sided focus on benefits gives no answer as to how in the future we will ensure enough heads and hands to meet working life’s great need for labour, she says. She points out that the rules are adapted so that disabled people can try to work or increase their position, without going into the red. Tonje Brenna says it should always pay to work with the ability to work, both in the short and long term. Photo: Inger Kristine Lee / news But the Minister for Employment and Inclusion has also said that she will take a closer look at whether there are rules or routines that are unreasonable. And which can contribute to people doing what they can and want to do. – Some of those who are outside the workforce today will be able to work a bit more through early, close and tailored follow-up, she says. SEE THE “DEBATE”: Ap believes many people can work quite a bit more.
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– We are starting to have a poverty crisis in Norway – news Nordland
