The Norwegian government faces criticism over plans to slash one-time payments for vulnerable new parents. The proposal would reduce the benefit from 92,648 kroner to 60,000 kroner per child.
Marthe Hammer, financial policy spokesperson for the Socialist Left Party, called the cuts petty and poorly justified. She said the government bases its decision on questionable calculations.
The cuts affect parents who don't qualify for paid parental leave. This includes students, unemployed individuals, freelancers, and part-time workers.
Government officials point to a reference budget from SIFO that estimates child costs at 57,000 kroner for the first year. They argue this supports reducing the payment to 60,000 kroner.
But researchers warn against using these numbers as definitive. Project leader Andreea Ioana Alecu previously cautioned that the budget assumes good health, established households, and existing equipment. It excludes many major costs of having children.
Hammer challenged the government's reasoning. Everyone knows having a baby costs much more than 60,000 kroner, she said. The money must cover not just equipment but also living expenses for weeks or months.
The payment difference between parents creates unfairness, according to Hammer. Parents with work history receive 80-100 percent of their salary for many weeks. Those without work rights get only the one-time sum, now reduced to 60,000 kroner.
Hammer shared her personal experience. Her first child came while she was a student. The benefit combined with her stipend provided just enough to live on during those early months. Her subsequent children came with parental benefits, creating a completely different situation.
She sees the cuts as part of a targeted political direction against vulnerable families. The government breaks previous election promises and hurts those most in need, she claimed.
The Socialist Left Party enters negotiations with clear demands. Hammer expects the government to fix issues it campaigned on, like keeping child benefits separate from welfare rates.
Children and Family Minister Lene VÃ¥gslid defended the government's approach. She said they strengthened family finances through other measures like historically low kindergarten prices and free after-school care.
VÃ¥gslid emphasized the one-time payment covers child expenses, not lost income or setup costs. Combined with increased child benefit, the total first-year support reaches 83,616 kroner, exceeding the SIFO reference budget.
The government appears determined to push austerity measures while claiming to support families. This contradiction leaves vulnerable parents caught between political rhetoric and financial reality.