SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Debt common among suspected of childcare fraud

16 percent of all sickness benefit applications contain errors and it is foreign-born individuals, persons with low income and individuals with debts to the Enforcement Authority who are somewhat overrepresented in terms of providing incorrect information to the Social Insurance Agency.

» Published: February 03 2025

Debt common among suspected of childcare fraud
Photo: Magnus Lejhall/TT

The most common mistake is that you have applied for compensation while working and it is these groups that stand out, says Rosa Fiorito, area manager at the Insurance Agency.

Every year, the Insurance Agency pays out almost nine billion kronor in compensation for childcare to approximately 900,000 parents. Applying for compensation can be easily done digitally, and decisions are usually made based on the information provided by the guardians in the application. The applicant does not need to provide a doctor's certificate or a certificate from the employer to prove they were at home.

A system built on trust, in other words, but fraud with childcare compensation is a major problem, according to a new report from the Insurance Agency.

New Law

It is a small percentage of the population that commits crimes, but numerically, incorrect childcare payments top the Insurance Agency's statistics, even though the amounts per payment are not that high, says Rosa Fiorito.

Deliberately providing false information is a crime, and the Insurance Agency performs various types of checks both before and after payment. At the turn of the year, a new law came into effect, which means that employers must provide information to the Tax Agency when an employee is absent due to childcare.

Through these employer declarations, we will get another tool to detect and prevent benefit fraud within childcare, says Rosa Fiorito.

Uncertain Figure

According to the Insurance Agency, fraud amounts to 800 million kronor per year – a figure that is questioned by a lecturer in statistics at Uppsala University, who in Svenska Dagbladet describes the calculations as "arbitrary".

The figure comes from a government assignment that we have, which determines that we should estimate the extent of incorrect payments. An estimate is, by definition, something that is uncertain, but even if the figure is uncertain, it is a large amount, and every incorrect krona that is paid out is a problem that we need to stop, says Rosa Fiorito.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Child Hospitalized After Falling from Mölndal Balcony

Child Hospitalized After Falling from Mölndal Balcony

Sweden Democrats Reject EU Proposal on Gaza Relocation

Sweden Democrats Reject EU Proposal on Gaza Relocation

16-Year-Old Arrested in Connection to Skurup Murder Plot

16-Year-Old Arrested in Connection to Skurup Murder Plot

Ancient Neck Ring Discovery in Sweden Revealed as Modern Prank

Ancient Neck Ring Discovery in Sweden Revealed as Modern Prank

Mother Sentenced to Prison for Leaving Baby Alone to Party

Mother Sentenced to Prison for Leaving Baby Alone to Party

Swedish Court Convicts Man in 2018 Eskilstuna Shooting Cold Case

Swedish Court Convicts Man in 2018 Eskilstuna Shooting Cold Case

Court of Appeal Acquits Man of Murder, Upholds Rape Conviction

Court of Appeal Acquits Man of Murder, Upholds Rape Conviction

Two Charged in Borås Gang-Related Murder Case

Two Charged in Borås Gang-Related Murder Case

Suspected Dangerous Object Prompts Evacuation in Södertälje

Suspected Dangerous Object Prompts Evacuation in Södertälje

Koran Burner Murder Case: All Suspects Cleared, No Arrests Made

Koran Burner Murder Case: All Suspects Cleared, No Arrests Made

Woman in Her 30s Charged with Murdering Elderly Relative in Vadstena

Woman in Her 30s Charged with Murdering Elderly Relative in Vadstena

Condom Use Declines Among Nordic Youth, Report Finds

Condom Use Declines Among Nordic Youth, Report Finds

Fatal Fire in Jämtland Cottage: One Dead, Another Injured

Fatal Fire in Jämtland Cottage: One Dead, Another Injured

Man Sentenced for Smuggling Over 2 Million Cigarettes to Norway

Man Sentenced for Smuggling Over 2 Million Cigarettes to Norway

Swedish Police Face Million-Kronor Fine Over Rain Gear Purchase

Swedish Police Face Million-Kronor Fine Over Rain Gear Purchase

Sweden Halts Vehicle Inspections for Emergency Alarms Amid Network Changes

Sweden Halts Vehicle Inspections for Emergency Alarms Amid Network Changes

Kristersson Unaware of Deleted Email in Landerholm Case

Kristersson Unaware of Deleted Email in Landerholm Case

Mystery Deepens Over Trollhättan Neck Ring: Is It Really Gold?

Mystery Deepens Over Trollhättan Neck Ring: Is It Really Gold?

Swedish Agriculture Board Rethinks Controversial Animal Space Rules

Swedish Agriculture Board Rethinks Controversial Animal Space Rules

Missing Skiers Found After Avalanche Near Abisko National Park

Missing Skiers Found After Avalanche Near Abisko National Park

E6 Landslide Probe in Stenungsund Delayed Until Summer

E6 Landslide Probe in Stenungsund Delayed Until Summer

40 Suspects Tied to Malmö Prostitution Ring at Thai Massage Parlor

40 Suspects Tied to Malmö Prostitution Ring at Thai Massage Parlor

Swedish Climate Goals at Risk: Experts Criticize Kristersson's Leadership

Swedish Climate Goals at Risk: Experts Criticize Kristersson's Leadership

Sweden's Government Rejects Experts' Call for Higher Fuel Taxes

Sweden's Government Rejects Experts' Call for Higher Fuel Taxes

Bribery Investigation at Karolinska Hospital Ends Without Charges

Bribery Investigation at Karolinska Hospital Ends Without Charges

Sweden Urged to Act Fast on Climate Goals as Time Runs Short

Sweden Urged to Act Fast on Climate Goals as Time Runs Short

Sweden Moves to Ban Fur Farming, Focuses on Mink Breeding

Sweden Moves to Ban Fur Farming, Focuses on Mink Breeding

Landerholm Trial Delayed to August Amid Evidence Deletion Claims

Landerholm Trial Delayed to August Amid Evidence Deletion Claims

Sweden Unveils Ambitious Cybersecurity Strategy for 2025-2029

Sweden Unveils Ambitious Cybersecurity Strategy for 2025-2029

Sweden Proposes AI Cameras for Real-Time Criminal Detection

Sweden Proposes AI Cameras for Real-Time Criminal Detection

Investigation Reveals Welding Error Sparked Fatal Fire at Liseberg's Oceana

Investigation Reveals Welding Error Sparked Fatal Fire at Liseberg's Oceana

Swedish Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Copenhagen Grenade Attack

Swedish Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Copenhagen Grenade Attack

Dadgostar Urges Legislation to Tackle Soaring Food Prices in Sweden

Dadgostar Urges Legislation to Tackle Soaring Food Prices in Sweden

Reflective Vests Recalled in Sweden Over Safety Concerns

Reflective Vests Recalled in Sweden Over Safety Concerns

Swedish NATO Troops in Latvia Face Penalties for Code Violation

Swedish NATO Troops in Latvia Face Penalties for Code Violation

Lundin Oil Knew of Witness Threats, Continued Operations Anyway

Lundin Oil Knew of Witness Threats, Continued Operations Anyway

Social Democrats Urge Swift Action as Sweden Lags Behind in Defense Strategy

Social Democrats Urge Swift Action as Sweden Lags Behind in Defense Strategy

Customs Alert: Hidden Dangers in Ginseng Supplements from Sweden

Customs Alert: Hidden Dangers in Ginseng Supplements from Sweden

Sweden Allocates 300 Million Kronor to Boost School Safety Measures

Sweden Allocates 300 Million Kronor to Boost School Safety Measures

Man Arrested After Shots Fired at Stockholm Apartment Door

Man Arrested After Shots Fired at Stockholm Apartment Door