The Housing Allowance Struggle: Waiting for Support While Living on a Fixed Income
Housing allowance, designed to alleviate financial burdens for those relying on a modest pension, has become a source of frustration for many in Sweden.
Eligible applicants—individuals aged 66 and older who receive their full pensions—can seek this supplementary support from the Swedish Pensions Agency. However, the journey to approval is proving to be a long and arduous one.
Despite repeated criticisms from the Ombudsman for Justice regarding the protracted waiting times, the backlog continues to grow. Over the period from January to October 2025, the average processing time for initial applications stretched to a staggering 106 days, a sharp increase from the 72 days reported the previous year. Currently, around 500 first-time applications have been pending for six months or longer, with approximately 30 cases aging over a year.
“Frustrated and Disheartened”
Eighty-year-old Hans Nyberg resides in Haninge, just outside Stockholm, and finds himself among those left in limbo.
“You can’t help but feel frustrated and disappointed at an authority that can’t provide a clear answer,” he expresses. Though he remains uncertain about his eligibility for the housing allowance, Nyberg believes it could ease his daily challenges. In a recent bid to manage his expenses, he was compelled to sell his car.
The Authority’s Perspective
The Pensions Authority, responsible for processing these allowances, acknowledges that some waiting times are unacceptable.
“Waiting two or three months for a decision can be reasonable, but when it stretches beyond six months, you have entered an unacceptably long wait,” notes Denana Lövgren, acting head of the department for housing and income support. She adds, “We are consistently working to enhance our efficiency so that all applicants receive timely updates. However, many applications are submitted with missing or incorrect information, necessitating additional investigations that extend processing times.”
For those who find themselves in prolonged waiting periods, the Pensions Authority has provisions for a so-called delay action. Applicants who have waited six months or longer can request a swift resolution, compelling the agency to decide within four weeks.
Note: Hans Nyberg previously served as an elected representative for the Sweden Democrats in his home municipality.
