Above all, it is political decisions and investments that have an effect on households' wallets. And it is families with children who are affected by many of these investments.
They benefit from both the lower tax on earned income and the lower tax on electricity and the halved VAT on food, says Stefan Westerberg, adding that the reduced preschool and after-school center fees also hit the nail on the head in the wallets of families with children.
Plus for retirees
In addition to various economic measures from the government, households will also benefit from “fairly substantial real wage increases,” according to Länsförsäkringar’s assessments. Even for pensioners, who are not affected by wage increases, there will be a small addition to their wallets next year.
Income pensions are being adjusted up by 1.9 percent, which is higher than we think inflation will be, says Stefan Westerberg.
The group that will have the least positive effect on the economy in 2026 is the unemployed. They are certainly also reached by the tax cuts on food and electricity, but they will not receive more money in their accounts.
The income is linked to compensation from the unemployment insurance fund, and it is only affected by what the unemployment insurance fund rules look like, and there we can see that there has been a change for the worse for those with lower incomes, says Westerberg.
Some of the changes
Here are some of the changes that will affect household finances in 2026:
+ Reduced food VAT: As of April 1, food VAT will be reduced from 12 to 6 percent. The reduction is a temporary measure that will apply until December 31, 2027.
+ Reduced preschool and after-school care fees: As of July 1, fees will be reduced within the framework of the maximum fee for preschool and after-school care.
+ Increased housing allowance: The limit for housing costs for families with children is being raised. The increase means that housing allowance for families with one child can be up to 800 SEK higher and for families with multiple children up to 1,000 SEK higher.
+ Reduced tax on work and pensions: The in-work tax credit is strengthened and the basic tax credit is increased.
+ Lower tax on investment accounts (ISK) and Capital Insurance: In 2026, the levels for tax-free savings will be increased from SEK 150,000 to SEK 300,000 per person on ISK and in Capital Insurance.
+ Abolished interest deduction on unsecured loans: The right to deduct interest on unsecured loans, so-called blank loans, will disappear, which according to the Swedish Tax Agency's assessment affects 5.8 million people.
