Much is still unclear about the electricity subsidy, but the government has now announced that the subsidy will come to households in February, and that the Social Insurance Agency will manage the payment.
Although now it turns out that a large part of bank customers will receive the electricity subsidy paid out via a payment notice that they have to go to the bank or shop to redeem.
It can be many thousands of Swedish kroner for an ordinary home owner – not amounts that are normally handled in cash.
Försäkringskassan must now select a bank that will handle the payments.
The only way
– Everyone who does not have an account in the bank we procure banking services from will receive an avi. That’s the only way we can pay out, says Fredrik Falk, business area manager at Försäkringskassan.
However, no bank in Sweden has total market coverage. The major banks are indeed large, but when it comes to deposits from private customers (which is not necessarily the same as having an account at the bank), the market share of Swedbank, which is the largest, is 19 percent.
TT: Isn’t it the majority of electricity customers who get an avi?
– I’m not entirely sure about that. I cannot answer that at this time. We need to talk about that with the bank from which we procure the banking services, says Fredrik Falk.
He says that Försäkringskassan is now busy creating a system for the electricity subsidy.
– We are in the process of setting up a separate system that is separate from the social security systems, he says.
Avin costs money
In that case, this means that they can go to the bank office and withdraw the money in cash with an old-fashioned payment notice. But it costs money. For example, Nordea redeems flyers, and charges SEK 50 for the trouble. Other banks or shops can also redeem flyers, but there are different forms of rules and restrictions.
Fixed bank branches are not everywhere. Then the electricity customers have to go to someone else who can redeem the electricity. Like tobacconists or gambling shops.
If the electricity money is then to be deposited into the bank account, for example to pay future electricity bills, the customer must go to the bank office and make the deposit.