Försäkringskassan for Families: Child Benefit, Parental Leave & VAB

Sweden is known for its generous family benefits – especially its long paid parental leave and paid days off when your child is sick. Almost all of this is handled by Försäkringskassan – the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.

In this post, we explain the most important benefits for families, what they're worth in 2026 and what you need to consider as a newcomer to Sweden.

Barnbidrag – Swedish child benefit

Barnbidrag is Sweden's universal child benefit:

• It is SEK 1,250 per child per month.
• It's paid until the child turns 16. After that, students get studiebidrag (study allowance), or förlängt barnbidrag (extended child benefit) if the child is still in grundskola.
• The money is paid into your account around the 20th of each month.
• If there are two guardians, the barnbidrag is normally split equally between them.

Flerbarnstillägg – large family supplement

From the second child, you also get flerbarnstillägg. Together with barnbidrag, a family receives per month (as of 2026):

• 2 children: SEK 2,500 + SEK 150 supplement = SEK 2,650
• 3 children: SEK 3,750 + SEK 730 = SEK 4,480
• 4 children: SEK 5,000 + SEK 1,740 = SEK 6,740
• 5 children: SEK 6,250 + SEK 2,990 = SEK 9,240

From the fifth child onwards, the supplement increases by a further SEK 1,250 per child.

Föräldrapenning – parental benefit

Föräldrapenning is the heart of Swedish family policy. Parents share 480 days per child (660 days for twins):

• 390 days at sjukpenningnivå (sickness benefit level): just under 80% of your income, between SEK 250 and a maximum of SEK 1,259 per day in 2026.
• 90 days at lägstanivå (minimum level): a flat SEK 180 per day.

Sharing and transferring days

• With two guardians, each gets half of the days.
• 90 days per parent are reserved and cannot be transferred.
• You can transfer the remaining days to the other parent (överlåta), for example via "Mina sidor" (My Pages) at Försäkringskassan.
• You can take days flexibly – full, half, quarter or eighth days.
• Days must be used before the child turns 12 or finishes year 5. However, after the child's 4th birthday, only 96 days in total may be left.

Important for newcomers: To get sjukpenningnivå for the first 180 days, you must have been insured for at least 240 consecutive days before the birth with an income above a minimum level. Otherwise, you get the basic level of SEK 250 for those days. Insurance periods from another EU country may be taken into account in some cases – ask Försäkringskassan.

Our tip: Apply in good time – Försäkringskassan must receive your application no later than 90 days after your first day of leave. And discuss your parental leave with your employer early on.

VAB – when your child is sick

VAB stands for vård av barn (care of child), officially tillfällig föräldrapenning (temporary parental benefit). You get paid when you stay home because your child is ill – completely normal in Sweden, and every employer is used to it.

• Up to 120 days per child per year.
• Generally applies to children under 12.
• You get just under 80% of your income, up to a ceiling (income above 7.5 price base amounts isn't counted).
• If your child is sick for more than 7 days, you need a certificate from a doctor or nurse from day 8.
• New in 2026: Försäkringskassan must receive your application no later than 30 days after the first VAB day.

How it works: Tell your employer you're taking VAB. Then apply for the benefit via Försäkringskassan's app or "Mina sidor" using BankID.

Bostadsbidrag – housing allowance for families

Families on a low income can apply for bostadsbidrag (housing allowance). Requirements:

• You have children living with you (also part-time, at least 30 days a year).
• You are folkbokförd (registered) at your home address in Sweden.
• Your income is low.

The amount depends on your income, housing costs and number of children. The housing costs taken into account are capped at SEK 6,800 per month with one child, SEK 7,900 with two and SEK 8,600 with three or more children. The maximum allowance is SEK 4,200 (1 child), SEK 5,200 (2 children) or SEK 6,200 (3 or more children) per month.

Watch out: Bostadsbidrag is paid provisionally based on your estimated income. The following year, it's reconciled against your actual income – if it was higher, you'll have to pay money back. So estimate your income realistically. From 2027, income is set to be checked monthly.

Eligibility for newcomers: getting into the system

Most family benefits require you to be insured in Sweden. This mainly depends on whether you live or work here.

1. Folkbokföring: If you plan to stay at least a year, register with Skatteverket and get a personnummer.
2. Notify Försäkringskassan: Barnbidrag is not paid automatically when you move to Sweden. You need to tell Försäkringskassan about your move and provide details of your children under 16 – via the e-service or form 5456.
3. Residence assessment: Försäkringskassan checks your documents (e.g. employment contract, rental agreement) to decide whether you and your children are insured in Sweden. This can take a while.
4. Proof from your previous country: As an EU citizen, you must show that you're no longer insured in your previous country. Within the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK, you can't be insured in two countries at the same time.

Our tip: Submit your documents right after your folkbokföring – the sooner you do, the sooner the money arrives. For questions, you can call Försäkringskassan on 0771-524 524.

EU coordination: what happens to child benefit from another country?

If family members live or work in different EU countries, EU rules decide which country pays first. The basic rule according to Försäkringskassan:

• What matters is where the parents work – not their citizenship.
• If only one parent works, the country where they work pays first – regardless of where the child lives.
• If the parents work in different countries, the country where the child lives pays first.

If you're moving from Germany: German Kindergeld is EUR 259 per child per month in 2026 – considerably more than barnbidrag. If Germany is secondarily responsible (e.g. because one parent continues to work in Germany), the German Familienkasse may pay a differential amount. If the whole family moves to Sweden and only works here, entitlement to German Kindergeld usually ends.

Important: Always notify the child benefit authority in your previous country about your move to avoid repayment claims. For Germany, details can be found on the German Federal Family Portal (in German). Försäkringskassan and the foreign authority coordinate with each other – this can take time, so be patient.

Checklist for families

• Folkbokföring and personnummer for all family members
• Set up BankID and log in to Försäkringskassan's "Mina sidor"
• Report your move and children to Försäkringskassan (barnbidrag)
• Get proof that your insurance in your previous country has ended
• Notify the child benefit authority in your previous country
• Plan parental leave and share the days
• Know the VAB rules: apply within 30 days
• Check your eligibility for bostadsbidrag

Our conclusion

Försäkringskassan offers families a strong safety net: barnbidrag and flerbarnstillägg every month, 480 days of föräldrapenning, up to 120 VAB days per child per year and bostadsbidrag if needed. As a newcomer, though, you have to take action yourself: report your move, prove your insurance status and inform the authorities in your previous country. The rules are complex – if anything is unclear, ask Försäkringskassan directly.