Social assistance, 2010

2009 saw a sharp increase in the number of social assistance recipients from the year before, by about 8 000. In 2010, there was a more modest increase by about 1 700 recipients. Total payments however were down to NOK 4.59 billion, which meant that each recipient received on average NOK 1 100 less than the previous year.

Twelve counties saw an increase in the number of recipients last year, while six counties had fewer recipients. The number of recipients per inhabitant was still about twice as high in the northern county of Finnmark compared to the western county of Sogn og Fjordane.

The proportion of recipients who had social assistance as their main source of income, has been receding for some years, and was further down in 2010, from 43 to 41 per cent. This must be seen in connection with the increase in recipients on qualification benefits. Qualification benefits are aimed especially at the group most dependent on social assistance. Dependency on social assistance as the main source of income was down in all demographic groups except single mothers. This is also in line with the numbers for the previous years.