Benefit Requirements May Boost Crime, Critics Warn

The Government wants immigrants to qualify for benefits through work. Therefore, the Government's investigator proposed in the spring, among other things, that one should have worked with a certain salary level for at least six months or lived in Sweden for five years to be able to receive a range of benefits and benefits.

The proposals, however, receive harsh criticism.

For example, the National Board of Health and Welfare writes in its statement that there will also be those who, due to disability, illness or old age, cannot work.

According to the authority, this may lead to people living in Sweden "not being entitled to economic assistance, not even in acute emergency situations, for several years".

The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) also says no to the proposals for qualification for social insurance and economic assistance.

We see that this will exacerbate the problem that one wants to solve and it will also affect the municipalities economically, says Erik Pelling (S), chairman of the municipal board in Uppsala and chairman of SALAR's committee for social policy and individual care.

On the other hand, he continues, SALAR supports the part that concerns the requirement for activity to receive economic assistance.

Many municipalities are already doing what is now proposed and have seen that it works, he says.

"Significant risk"

The Prosecution Authority warns that reduced social support entails a "significant risk" that crime will increase in Sweden and that organized crime will be given the opportunity to advance its positions.

"It does not need to be said that it would be unfortunate", it says in the statement.

The Economic Crime Authority sees risks that criminal actors will be given further incentives to exploit individuals with weak positions, for example by selling identities and fictitious employments that provide access to Sweden and the Swedish benefit system.

"Negative consequences"

The Employment Service assesses that the proposal may hinder the individual's establishment on the labor market.

The Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate, ISF, advises against the proposal and believes that there is no support for the expected positive effects to be achieved. On the other hand, the proposed reform risks having major negative consequences, primarily for groups that are already vulnerable, according to ISF.

The investigation proposal does not concern citizens from EU or EEA countries, nor asylum immigrants. If the proposal had been introduced in 2024, it is estimated that 67,000 adults would not have met the requirements for social insurance benefits. 4,400 would no longer have met the requirements for social assistance.

Peter Wallberg/TT

Jens Bornemann/TT