Family benefits

Family allowance (Barnetrygd)

The person who is responsible for the day-to-day care of children under the age of 18 has the right to family allowance. The allowance is a tax-free benefit.

A person with sole responsibility for the care of children under the age of 18 has the right to family allowance for one child more than the actual number of children. Single parents with children below the age of 3 are also entitled to an infant allowance.

A special allowance is paid for children who live in the northern part of Norway or on Svalbard.

Cash-benefit (Kontantstøtte)

Cash benefit may be granted for children between one and three years of age who do not have a full-time place at a publicly maintained day care institution.

Benefit on account of pregnancy or birth

An gainfully employed woman is eligible for pregnancy benefit prior to the birth. After the birth she is entitled to parental benefit calculated in the same way as sickness benefit.

The child’s father has the right to a period with parental benefit if the mother has worked in Norway.

The father is entitled to parental benefit if the mother is ill, at work or being trained. This applies even if the mother has not been employed in Norway.

A woman who has not been gainfully employed prior to the birth is paid a lump sum maternity grant at the birth.

Similar benefits apply in case of adoption.