The amount of the general leisure card will be increased from SEK 500 to SEK 550 in 2026. The special leisure card for children in economically disadvantaged families will be increased from SEK 2,000 to SEK 2,500. In addition, children who turn seven in 2026 will receive the card. Today, the card is given to everyone aged 8–16.
The government's leisure card was launched in September and the money can be used for various activities in sports, culture and community life in approved associations.
There are children who give up sports or stop being part of clubs because they know that mom or dad really can't afford it, says Forssmed.
“Right so far”
So far, over 340,000 cards have been downloaded, of which 40,000 with the higher amount. When asked how far the money will last, the Minister of Social Affairs answers:
It looks very different, but it is clear that the higher amount goes a long way in many municipalities. In many cases, it can cover the entire cost of participation, training fees or fees for the cultural school.
However, there are usually additional costs that the card does not cover.
But it will be a really big help along the way and be what determines whether you can join or not, he says.
Hassle
The Ministry of Health and Welfare expects that leisure cards worth 650 million SEK will be downloaded by 2026. In total, the card, including administration, costs approximately 800 million SEK.
To date, over 5,500 associations and cultural schools have joined and been approved for the leisure card. There have been some complaints that the system is cumbersome. However, Forssmed expects a clear improvement after the turn of the year, as many of the systems that associations use for membership fees and invoices will then be integrated with the leisure card.
- It will make things a lot easier for the clubs, says Forssmed.
