Family finances: parental benefit, VAB and support
Plan for income changes with children, leave, illness, study or unemployment. Compare benefits with household expenses and verify eligibility with the responsible authority.
Last reviewed:
Plan the whole parental leave
Benefit days taken per week affect both income and how long days last. Compare several schedules and include any employment income. If example monthly income falls from SEK 20 000 to SEK 15 000, the budget must cover a SEK 5 000 gap.
Allow for VAB and sickness periods
Absence rarely arrives evenly. Compare an ordinary month with a longer absence and distinguish salary, employer sick pay and benefits. Check caps, waiting periods and conditions before using an amount in your budget.
Prepare for temporary income
Unemployment benefits, student support and other assistance can have different conditions, processing times and payment dates. Identify expenses you can reduce and how long your buffer lasts. Do not count new support as certain income before the authority confirms eligibility.
Benefits and rule changes in 2026
Sources reviewed:
A source-reviewed overview of new or changed support. Use the examples for planning, not as an authority decision.
Amounts and conditions for Fritidskortet, Jobbpremie and the establishment programme were checked on 2026-10-05. The responsible authority or official service decides eligibility.
Current changes
Fritidskortet
ActiveFritidskortet can pay for regular leisure activities in sport, culture and outdoor life.
- Children can use it from the year they turn 6 through the year they turn 16.
- The standard amount is SEK 550 per child per year. A guardian who received bostadsbidrag (housing allowance) or bostadstillägg (housing supplement) in the preceding year can apply for SEK 2,500 per child. The guardian who received the benefit must make the application.
- The money must be used by 30 November and cannot be carried to the next year.
- The activity must be leader-led, regular and have at least six sessions over at most six months at a connected organisation. Book a place and wait for an invoice or payment details before paying. The card belongs to each child; money cannot be transferred between siblings.
Jobbpremie
Active, temporaryJobbpremie is temporary support for someone who previously received municipal income support and now works.
- You must have received income support every month from July through December 2025.
- For the claimed month you must have received employment wages, not receive income support, and nobody else in your household may receive income support that month.
- The amount is 15% of gross wages, capped at SEK 3,750 per month. It is tax-free and can be paid for at most 18 months.
- Apply separately for each month, within three calendar months after the claimed month. Försäkringskassan verifies the information.
Establishment programme
Effective from 1 September 2026New daily rates and the child supplement apply from September 2026. Submit the September claim in October and check your decision with Försäkringskassan.
- The former SEK 308 daily rate increased to SEK 335 from September 2026. The SEK 231 daily rate remains unchanged.
- After 1 September 2026, new applications for establishment supplement or housing compensation are no longer possible; existing decisions cover their full stated period.
- The child supplement covers children under 20 living at home: SEK 400 per child under 11 and SEK 750 per child aged 11–19. The amount can double if the child has no other custodian resident in Sweden and you do not live with the other parent.
- Each custodian applies separately for each month. The first month to claim is September 2026, with the application in October.
Calculate each support separately
Choose a dedicated page to enter details, read conditions and see sources for that support.
Continue with the household
A benefit is only one part of the month. Compare it with salary, parental benefit, unemployment support and real household costs.
Sources used for this topic
- Försäkringskassan – parental benefit in English
- Försäkringskassan – official parental-benefit calculator
- Försäkringskassan – aktuella belopp
- Försäkringskassan – VAB days and certificates
- Försäkringskassan – guidance on temporary parental benefit
- Försäkringskassan – skatt på aktivitetsstöd
- IAF – Sweden's income-based unemployment insurance rules
- Swedish Unemployment Insurance Act (2024:506) – income conditions
- IAF – calculating benefit and income basis
- IAF – benefit periods and 22-day full months
- Swedish Tax Agency – A-kassa is reported as employment income
- Försäkringskassan – aktivitetsstöd eller utvecklingsersättning
- Försäkringskassan – vägledning 2017:2, aktivitetsstöd
- Swedish Tax Agency – public service fee 2026
- Swedish Tax Agency – tax tables 2026
- Försäkringskassan – annual income and SGI
- Försäkringskassan – sjukskriven när du är anställd
- Försäkringskassan – underhållsstöd
- Försäkringskassan – så betalar du underhållet
- Försäkringskassan – underhåll när barnet fyller 18 år
- CSN – what omställningsstudiestöd is
- CSN – grant and loan amounts
- CSN – working while studying
- Official parent information
- Open Fritidskortet
- Fritidskortet FAQ
- Apply or read more at Försäkringskassan
- Official Villaeffekten questions and answers
- Open Boverket's e-service
- Government questions and answers
- See payment information at Försäkringskassan
- Read the government questions and answers