Child benefit increases by NOK 3,600 – VG

Kjell Ingolf Ropstad became the father of a little boy on budget day a year ago. His government then increased the child benefit to SEK 3,600 for children under 7 years of age. Now fold:

In the state budget for 2021, to be presented on Wednesday, the government again proposes to increase the child benefit by NOK 300 per month for children up to 6 years from 1 September 2021. This gives an annual increase of 3,600 NOK.

– Efforts against child poverty

This gives an increase in public spending of NOK 413 million in 2021. The effect for the entire year is estimated at NOK 1.1 billion.

– In total, it gives an increase of NOK 7,200 for two years, for families with children. Furthermore, in 2019 everyone received an increase in child benefit of NOK 1,000, the first increase in child benefit since 1996; a total of NOK 8,200 for families with young children, she says and notes that it is above the goal for which they received support in the government platform.

That platform states that the child benefit amounts to NOK 7,200.

– Therefore, I can say that it is a historic boost for families with young children and an important effort against child poverty.

We find him outside the prime minister’s residence in Frogner, where he plays with his one-year-old son, Bjørn Wilhelm.

The herd has just learned to walk. One instinct or another hits hard: find the only small pond on the sidewalk. And splashing.

He has an older sister who is four years old.

– Does this mean that the family income will increase by a total of 16,400 tax-free crowns as a result of your policy?

– Yes, with two small children, it is a nice consequence for us. But the important thing about the raises is that they hit those who really need them, the lowest paid. We know that low income contributes to child poverty.

– You are concerned that the objective of the increases in child benefit is distribution, which helps those who have the least. Why not give more child benefits to those who earn less?

– KrF wanted a different model, but it is important that we have some central universal plans, such as school, kindergarten and child benefit. Some people say that an increase of 300 crowns a month is not something to talk about, but I will tell you that for many, almost 700 crowns a month more means something. There are many who thank us for these increases.

The model they say they want is for child benefits to increase significantly more and be taxed.

– Those who earn less would have received more child benefits.

Ropstad believes that the increases can help solve child poverty.

– Yes, for those who don’t have much, this is good money. We have also emphasized that welfare recipients should benefit from increases. Besides work, child allowance is the only benefit that is most important in reducing the proportion of children in low-income families. In this way, the measure will contribute to providing better opportunities for children who grow up in low-income families.

– Why doesn’t the increase arrive until September 1? Is it because it is a few days before the parliamentary elections, where you can enjoy the glory of the increases?

– No, it has to do with the fact that the total increase amounts to NKr 1.1 billion. It’s a lot and we will roll it out gradually from the fall.

– What about those seven years and older?

– Parents of young children have lower income than those of older children. But we are in the process of implementing the leisure card for all children over 6 years of age: we expanded the testing scheme to 180 million so that it can be tested in more municipalities. Going forward, we want there to be a permanent plan that allows children to receive 2000 kronor a year to help pay for participation in various events.