Unemployment & activity support 2026

Fact-checked on 27 August 2026 for decisions under the income-based rules.

Swedish unemployment insurance (A-kassa) is designed to provide temporary income if you lose your job. The rules can feel complex—benefit levels depend on your previous income, membership duration, and how many days you have already received compensation.

This article explains the basics and how to use the calculator to get a realistic estimate.

Rules for new benefit periods

Since 1 October 2025, Swedish unemployment insurance is income-based. The main rule uses employment income during a twelve-month reference period: at least four months must reach SEK 11,000 and total reference-period income must reach SEK 120,000. That gives an estimated period of 100 days with 4–7 qualifying months, 200 with 8–10, or 300 with 11–12. If total income is below SEK 120,000, an alternative rule can provide 66 days only when at least four qualifying months are consecutive. The calculator offers a simplified equal-income mode, where the entered amount is used only in the qualifying months, and an advanced mode for entering all twelve monthly incomes. The advanced mode makes irregular income and consecutive qualifying months visible; the A-kassa uses the actual monthly income reported to the Swedish Tax Agency.

The new benefit is paid monthly. One full month of benefit consumes 22 benefit days, so the calculator divides the monthly amount by 22 only to show a useful daily equivalent and calculate totals across benefit periods. Two waiting days are deducted from the requested unemployed days before the paid-day total is calculated.

For an after-tax planning estimate, open the advanced settings and choose the tax year, municipality and (if relevant) parish. The calculator then uses Skatteverket’s unemployment-benefit tax table (column 5) to show estimated monthly and daily amounts after withholding. This is a withholding estimate—not a tax decision—and the personal inputs stay in the browser.

Worked example: SEK 35,000 salary and 12 months’ membership

Assume your previous average income was SEK 35,000 per month, you have at least 12 months of qualifying membership, and you qualify for a 300-day period. The income basis is capped at SEK 34,000. During the first 100 benefit days, the 80% rate gives:

• SEK 27,200 gross for a full benefit month
• about SEK 1,236 per benefit-day equivalent (SEK 27,200 divided by 22)
• about SEK 24,727 total for 22 requested days after two waiting days (20 paid days × SEK 1,236.36)

From day 101, the rate falls to 70%, or SEK 23,800 for a full month at the capped income. From day 201 it falls to 65%, or SEK 22,100. These are gross planning estimates; the benefit is taxable and your A-kassa determines the actual income basis, membership rate and reductions for work or other circumstances.

What is A-kassa?

A-kassa (arbetslöshetskassa) is an insurance system that pays compensation when you are unemployed and meet certain conditions. You normally need to:

• Be registered as a jobseeker and actively apply for jobs.
• Meet the work requirement.
• Have been a member long enough to qualify for income-based compensation.

What affects how much you get?

Key factors include:

• Your previous salary (income basis)
• Membership duration (often important for the compensation rate)
• Benefit ceilings (there is a cap on compensation)
• Number of compensated days (benefit levels can change over time)

How to use the calculator

1. Enter your gross income for a qualifying month.
2. Enter how many days you expect to be unemployed.
3. Enter how long you have been a member.
4. Enter the number of qualifying income months in the twelve-month reference period.
5. If those months are consecutive and total income is below SEK 120,000, select the alternative-rule option.
6. Review the reference-period income, waiting days, gross daily/monthly estimates and totals.
7. For an after-tax estimate, choose the municipality and tax year in the advanced settings, then check the selected tax table and withholding amount.

Practical tips

• Use the calculator for “what-if” scenarios: shorter vs longer unemployment, different salary levels, and different membership durations.
• Remember benefits are typically taxable.
• If you are unsure about eligibility, check your A-kassa fund and Arbetsförmedlingen guidance.

These rules apply to benefit decisions made from 1 October 2025. A benefit period that started under the older rules can continue under that earlier system. See IAF’s summary of the income-based insurance, the law’s income conditions and IAF’s current rules for benefit-period duration.