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Statistics on

Recipients of disability benefit

Statistics on the number and share of disability benefit recipients in the population aged 18-67 years. Breakdowns by gender, age, education and country background. Also an overview of new recipients, degree of disability and the recipients’ work intensity. Numbers for municipalities, counties and the whole country.

Updated: 24 June 2025
Next update: Not yet determined

Selected figures from these statistics

  • Recipients of disability benefit by sex and age, and new recipients of disability benefit, 18-67 years.
    Recipients of disability benefit by sex and age, and new recipients of disability benefit, 18-67 years.
    2024
    Recipients of disability benefitRecipients of disability benefit, per cent of population
    Both sexes386 82510.7
    Males158 0268.6
    Females228 79912.9
    18-24 years8 4991.8
    25-34 years34 1024.5
    35-44 years52 5196.9
    45-54 years90 08612.3
    55-61 years101 57420.0
    62-67 years100 04526.8
    New recipients of disability benefit27 7180.8
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of disability benefit by sex, age and education level
    Recipients of disability benefit by sex, age and education level
    2024
    Recipients of disability benefitRecipients of disability benefit, per cent of population
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    Total386 825158 026228 79910.78.612.9
    Basic school level170 61079 71090 90024.620.629.8
    Upper secondary education141 16956 44684 72310.87.515.5
    Higher education67 48018 00549 4754.73.05.9
    Unknown or no completed education7 5663 8653 7014.54.05.1
    18-24 years
    Total8 4994 9763 5231.82.11.5
    Basic school level7 9634 7043 2595.05.14.8
    Upper secondary education3891852040.20.20.2
    Higher education181080.00.00.0
    Unknown or no completed education12977520.80.90.7
    25-34 years
    Total34 10216 45917 6434.54.24.7
    Basic school level24 55812 86711 69120.217.624.1
    Upper secondary education6 2632 3443 9192.91.75.1
    Higher education2 1475571 5900.60.40.7
    Unknown or no completed education1 1346914432.22.51.8
    35-44 years
    Total52 51921 85230 6676.95.68.2
    Basic school level27 43513 80413 63122.018.926.3
    Upper secondary education15 3825 5379 8457.04.111.5
    Higher education8 7662 0096 7572.41.43.1
    Unknown or no completed education9365024341.81.62.3
    45-54 years
    Total90 08634 28355 80312.39.215.5
    Basic school level33 30815 41417 89431.326.337.4
    Upper secondary education36 28813 79922 48913.28.619.7
    Higher education19 1724 44314 7296.03.37.9
    Unknown or no completed education1 3186276914.33.35.9
    55-61 years
    Total101 57439 83961 73520.015.424.8
    Basic school level38 04616 71421 33240.633.648.5
    Upper secondary education41 93516 74325 19219.213.925.8
    Higher education19 5175 38514 13210.76.713.8
    Unknown or no completed education2 0769971 07916.514.319.3
    62-67 years
    Total100 04540 61759 42826.821.732.1
    Basic school level39 30016 20723 09345.639.351.4
    Upper secondary education40 91217 83823 07425.520.132.0
    Higher education17 8605 60112 25915.110.419.0
    Unknown or no completed education1 9739711 00226.226.426.1
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of disability benefit by sex, age and country background
    Recipients of disability benefit by sex, age and country background
    2024
    Recipients of disability benefitRecipients of disability benefit, per cent of population
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    Immigrants, total50 59523 51427 0816.25.66.8
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand10 7114 9485 7633.12.54.0
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions39 88418 56621 3188.48.48.4
    The rest of the population336 230134 512201 71812.09.514.7
    18-24 years
    Immigrants, total7564962601.11.30.8
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand215135800.81.00.6
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions5413611801.21.50.9
    The rest of the population7 7434 4803 2631.92.21.7
    25-34 years
    Immigrants, total2 2651 3519141.31.51.0
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand5252672580.70.70.8
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions1 7401 0846561.62.11.2
    The rest of the population31 83715 10816 7295.45.05.9
    35-44 years
    Immigrants, total5 9472 8023 1452.42.22.6
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand1 2354987371.20.81.7
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions4 7122 3042 4083.33.53.0
    The rest of the population46 57219 05027 5229.17.311.1
    45-54 years
    Immigrants, total13 6015 6467 9557.35.98.9
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand2 6121 0761 5363.22.14.9
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions10 9894 5706 41910.710.311.0
    The rest of the population76 48528 63747 84814.010.317.7
    55-61 years
    Immigrants, total14 7946 7178 07717.615.220.2
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand2 9431 3321 6118.26.111.4
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions11 8515 3856 46624.624.025.1
    The rest of the population86 78033 12253 65820.515.525.6
    62-67 years
    Immigrants, total13 2326 5026 73027.525.829.4
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand3 1811 6401 54116.514.419.6
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions10 0514 8625 18934.835.234.6
    The rest of the population86 81334 11552 69826.721.032.4
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of disability benefits by sex, age and disability degree
    Recipients of disability benefits by sex, age and disability degree
    2024
    Recipients of disability benefitRecipients of disability benefit (per cent)
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    All recipients of disability benefit386 824158 025228 799100.0100.0100.0
    0-50 per cent disability24 2975 88818 4096.33.78.0
    51-99 per cent disability35 76711 97323 7949.27.610.4
    100 per cent disability326 760140 164186 59684.588.781.6
    18-34 years
    All recipients of disability benefit42 60221 43621 166100.0100.0100.0
    0-50 per cent disability9162666502.21.23.1
    51-99 per cent disability2 0826981 3844.93.36.5
    100 per cent disability39 60420 47219 13293.095.590.4
    35-44 years
    All recipients of disability benefit52 51721 85030 667100.0100.0100.0
    0-50 per cent disability2 9766542 3225.73.07.6
    51-99 per cent disability4 8101 3433 4679.26.111.3
    100 per cent disability44 73119 85324 87885.290.981.1
    45-54 years
    All recipients of disability benefit90 08634 28355 803100.0100.0100.0
    0-50 per cent disability6 8571 4585 3997.64.39.7
    51-99 per cent disability9 9212 8827 03911.08.412.6
    100 per cent disability73 30829 94343 36581.487.377.7
    55-61 years
    All recipients of disability benefit101 57439 83961 735100.0100.0100.0
    0-50 per cent disability7 8451 9565 8897.74.99.5
    51-99 per cent disability10 7193 7266 99310.69.411.3
    100 per cent disability83 01034 15748 85381.785.779.1
    62-67 years
    All recipients of disability benefit100 04540 61759 428100.0100.0100.0
    0-50 per cent disability5 7031 5544 1495.73.87.0
    51-99 per cent disability8 2353 3244 9118.28.28.3
    100 per cent disability86 10735 73950 36886.188.084.8
    Explanation of symbols
  • New recipients of disability benefit by sex and age
    New recipients of disability benefit by sex and age
    2024
    New recipients of disability benefitNew recipients of disability benefit, per cent of population
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years27 71811 48516 2330.80.60.9
    18-19 years9876103770.70.90.6
    20-24 years1 1375735640.30.30.3
    25-34 years3 5751 4212 1540.50.40.6
    35-44 years4 5191 7002 8190.60.40.8
    45-54 years6 5682 4494 1190.90.71.1
    55-61 years6 8132 8163 9971.31.11.6
    62-67 years4 1191 9162 2031.11.01.2
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of disability benefit by sex, age and work-intensity
    Recipients of disability benefit by sex, age and work-intensity
    2024
    Recipients of disability benefitRecipients of disability benefit (per cent)
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    All intensity levels386 827158 027228 800100.0100.0100.0
    None291 296123 611167 68575.378.273.3
    Low23 56510 21313 3526.16.55.8
    HIgh15 8206 2529 5684.14.04.2
    Full56 14617 95138 19514.511.416.7
    18-24 years
    All intensity levels8 5014 9773 524100.0100.0100.0
    None6 5763 7992 77777.476.378.8
    Low6433842597.67.77.3
    HIgh5033032005.96.15.7
    Full7794912889.29.98.2
    25-34 years
    All intensity levels34 10216 45917 643100.0100.0100.0
    None25 42212 33413 08874.574.974.2
    Low2 3971 1411 2567.06.97.1
    HIgh1 8969339635.65.75.5
    Full4 3872 0512 33612.912.513.2
    35-44 years
    All intensity levels52 51921 85230 667100.0100.0100.0
    None38 33016 82721 50373.077.070.1
    Low3 5481 4322 1166.86.66.9
    HIgh2 4809351 5454.74.35.0
    Full8 1612 6585 50315.512.217.9
    45-54 years
    All intensity levels90 08634 28355 803100.0100.0100.0
    None63 72826 05037 67870.776.067.5
    Low5 9032 3533 5506.66.96.4
    HIgh4 1611 4172 7444.64.14.9
    Full16 2944 46311 83118.113.021.2
    55-61 years
    All intensity levels101 57439 83961 735100.0100.0100.0
    None74 78130 72744 05473.677.171.4
    Low6 1122 6373 4756.06.65.6
    HIgh3 8791 4962 3833.83.83.9
    Full16 8024 97911 82316.512.519.2
    62-67 years
    All intensity levels100 04540 61759 428100.0100.0100.0
    None82 45933 87448 58582.483.481.8
    Low4 9622 2662 6965.05.64.5
    HIgh2 9011 1681 7332.92.92.9
    Full9 7233 3096 4149.78.110.8
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 28 June 2023.

Resident. The statistics cover persons who were registered in the Central Population Register as resident in Norway as of 31 December. The Act of Population Registration of 16 January 1970 (with subsequent amendments) and associated regulations from 1994 set out the criteria for classification as a resident in Norway. The total number of residents in an area is also referred to as the population.

Information on place of residence, gender and age are retrieved from the Central Population Register. Information on place of residence relates to the end of the statistical year, and information on age also refers to the end of the year.

Non-Resident. Persons who are noe registerede as residents as of 31 December, either dead or living abroad.

Disability benefit. Disability benefit under the National Insurance Scheme is intended to serve as a safety net for those who are unable to work due to ill health. Under new regulations introduced as part of the disability benefit reform on 1 January 2015, the benefit is calculated as 66% of earlier income, with an upward limited of 6G (G = the basic amount in the National Insurance Scheme). The basis for the calculation is the average income earned in the best three of the last five years of employment prior to the disability occurring. Disability benefit is taxed as normal income from work. Only members of the National Insurance Scheme can qualify for disability benefit, i.e. residents of Norway. There are also a number of other conditions that must be met:

  • Applicants must have been a member of the National Insurance Scheme for at least three years prior to the disability occurring. Exceptions are made here for young disabled people and refugees, as well as persons from countries with whom Norway has a social security agreement. Periods of service in some international organisations and such like are also disregarded.
  • Recipients must be resident in order to continue receiving disability benefit. Some exceptions also apply here; for those who have been a resident for at least 20 years after the age of 16 before the disability occurred, for those who have accrued at least 3 years of income/occupational pension and for those who reside in a country with whom Norway has a social security agreement (see textbox).
  • In order to be eligible for disability benefit, applicants must be at least 18 years of age, and they can start receiving the benefit the month after they turn 18. Disability benefit also ends at the age of 67. In practice, recipients will go over to the retirement pension the month following their 67th birthday.
  • It is also a requirement that appropriate treatment has been undertaken with a view to improving the capacity to work.
  • In order to receive disability benefit, applicants must have a permanent injury, illness or condition. It is not the severity of the injury or the illness itself that is the determining factor; the criterion is that the capacity to work is reduced by at least 50%. Thus, in principle, no one should have graded (partial) disability benefit below 50%, however this does occur as a result of certain special rules. For example, the degree of disability may be set at 30% where the disability is due to occupational injury. Following a period of 40% work assessment allowance, the degree of disability may be set at 40% and employment of 60%.

Disability benefit generally continues until the age of 67 (NAV cannot re-assess the recipient unless it is apparent that their health has improved). Under the new rules introduced on 1 January 2015, recipients can earn up to 40% of G each year without any reductions being made to their disability benefit. The benefit will be reduced for recipients who have income from work that exceeds this amount. Note that capital income is not subject to this rule, which means that recipients can have unlimited capital income without this affecting their benefit. Recipients who have income from work of more than 40% of G, will have their benefit reduced according to specific rules, up to an income of over 85% of previous income, which is the cut-off point for terminating disability benefit. However, it is important here to note that the actual degree of disability, the right to receive disability benefit, does not change even if recipients also have high earnings; it is only the actual payment that is affected.

For more information on the regulations for disability benefit, see www.nav.no (https://www.nav.no/no/Person/Pensjon/Uforetrygd)

Disability benefit recipients are persons who receive a positive decision on disability benefit fromthe National Insurance Scheme that is applicable to at least one month during the year. The definition also covers persons with a positive decision who have not actually received payment of the benefit. The vast majority of the tables in the statistics only include disability benefit recipients who are resident (see definition). Two tables also include disability benefit recipients who are not resident, and a distinction is made here between residents and non-residents. Recipients of disability payments from other schemes, such as private insurance or pension funds, are only included if they also have a positive decision on disability benefit from the National Insurance Scheme. Note that this definition of disability benefit recipients differs somewhat from the definition used in the statistics from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), and that the figures will be different to those published there. See the section Coherence with other statistics for more information and links to NAV.

New disability benefit recipients are persons with a decision on disability benefit in month m during the year, but without a decision in month m-1. In cases where m represents January, m-1 will represent December in the preceding year.

Young disability benefit recipients are persons aged 18–29 receiving disability benefit. This group should not be confused with persons who are granted disability benefit under the regulations for young people with a reduced capacity to work, which require the impairment to have occurred before the age of 26.

Work intensity is a measure of the degree of employment as a wage earner whilst receiving disability benefit. The measurement requires receipt of disability benefit and employment as a wage earner to have occurred in the same month, and is calculated as ‘the number of months in which income from work and disability benefit is received / the number of months that disability benefit is received’. The results are shown as None intensity (no months where both conditions occur), Low intensity (employed for at least one but less than half of the months when disability benefit was received), High intensity (employed for more than half but not all months when disability benefit was received) and Full intensity (employed in all months when disability benefit was received).

Wage earners are defined as persons who performed paid work, with compensation in the form of wages or similar, for at least one hour in the reference week, as well as persons who had such work but were temporarily absent due to illness, holiday leave, paid leave or similar. Persons undertaking military or civilian national service are considered to be in employment. Persons on government employment initiatives who receive wages from an employer are also classified as employees. This follows the recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Statistics Norway’s statistics use the terms ‘employee’ and ‘wage earners’ interchangeably. Note that the self-employed are not therefore measured in terms of work intensity in these statistics.

See also About the statistics at http://www.ssb.no/arbeid-og-lonn/statistikker/arblonn/kvartal

At-risk-of poverty (EU-scale). At-risk-of poverty thresholds are set as 50 and 60 per cent of median income after tax per consumption unit in the entire population.

For definitions of income per consumption unit and Consumpion units calculated according to the EU-scale, see About the statistics under http://www.ssb.no/en/ifhus

Average income account. The composition of total income for persons and after-tax income by selected income components, as well as median after-tax income and median household equivalent income (EU-scale). For definitions of income components and household equivalent income, see About the statistics under http://www.ssb.no/en/ifhus

Degree of disability shows the disability benefit recipient’s calculated degree of disability as 0–50 per cent, 51–99 per cent or 100 per cent. Most disability benefit recipients’ degree of disability will not change during the course of a year, but in order to allow for cases where this does happen, we choose the highest registered degree of disability in tables that use the degree of disability classification (see also Disability benefit). The calculated degree of disability can vary from the degree of payment, since this also depends on income in addition to disability benefit.

Immigrants are persons born abroad to two foreign-born parents and four foreign-born grandparents. Country of birth is normally the mother’s country of residence at the time of the person’s birth.

EU/EEA, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand include immigrants with the following countries of birth: Denmark, Greenland, Finland, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Sweden, Belgium, Bulgaria, Andorra, Estonia, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Ireland, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Lithuania, Spain, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Vatican City, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, except Australia and New Zealand and Europe except EU/EEA include immigrants born in the following: Albania, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Asia, Africa, America excluding USA and Canada and Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand. Persons who were stateless at birth and with an unknown country of birth are also included.

Data on education relates to 1 October in the statistical year. In these statistics, a variant of the Classification of education is used, where the highest completed education is classified as follows: http://www.ssb.no/en/klass/klassifikasjoner/36/varianter/843

The Norwegian Standard Classification of Education 2016 forms the basis for this classification:

https://www.ssb.no/en/utdanning/artikler-og-publikasjoner/norwegian-standard-classification-of-education-2016

http://www.ssb.no/en/klass/klassifikasjoner/36

The classification of municipalities is in line with the list of municipalities as of 31 December in the relevant year.

Classification of municipalities: https://www.ssb.no/en/klass/klassifikasjoner/131

Relatert innhold