Gang criminals and their families are active as representatives and personal assistants while being criminally active, according to a fresh report on organized crime.
All larger assistance companies have employees linked to organized crime, and four out of ten assistance beneficiaries have come into contact with personal assistants who can be linked to or are active in organized crime.
Serious
This risks affecting individuals when people are denied the help they need, while simultaneously fueling a criminal economy, according to the analysis.
Assistance is supposed to enable people to live their lives just like anyone else. If you don't get what you're entitled to, it's of course very serious, says Sophie Karlsson, chairperson of the Interest Group for Assistance Beneficiaries.
Criminals have apparently found opportunities to exploit the system for financial gain, she says.
This can unfortunately lead to people faring very badly.
On Tuesday, the government appointed an inquiry to combat crime. Welcome, according to Karlsson, who is also concerned that it may further complicate matters for people in need of assistance.
The important thing is to focus on the right measures that address the irregularities and don't introduce measures that complicate things for assistance beneficiaries, employers, and employees.
Fear of restrictions
Among other things, there is concern about restrictions on how relatives can become personal assistants, how controls can be made without being perceived as intrusive, and how new administration can complicate daily life.
Already today, the development of the law has led to strong limitations that are not necessarily anything other than administratively burdensome, she says.
At the same time, many already experience that it is too difficult to receive support, and the number of those who receive approval has decreased over time, she says. It's crucial that it doesn't become even more difficult, she emphasizes.
We need to put a stop to criminality and do what we can. But we also want our daily lives to work simply, just like for anyone else.
The government's investigator will, among other things:
+ analyze and propose a new order for monitoring approved assistance benefits,
+ analyze and, if necessary, propose extended opportunities to change decisions that are incorrect due to fraud or other irregularities,
+ analyze the pros and cons of regulating the possibility of relative assistance and, if necessary, propose suitable regulation of relative assistance,
+ analyze and, if necessary, propose suitable regulation of the possibility of personally employing personal assistants.
The assignment shall be reported no later than January 8, 2027.
Source: The Government Offices
