When the government presented the budget bill for 2025 on September 19, many raised their eyebrows. The reason was the money spent on making things easier for the country’s pensioners, something the Pensioners’ National Organization (PRO) believes is far too little.
PRO’s criticism of the budget: “Clear risk”
Of the 60 billion in the total budget, it is intended to allocate only 2.5 billion to reduced taxes for pensioners.
This was received by PRO’s union secretary Christine Cars-Ingels to see future risks. Above all, when it comes to the proposal to raise the amount limit in the high-cost protection, which she believes will hit the elderly hard.
– We see a clear risk that the elderly will be hit hard by the increase in high-cost protection. Drug use is highest among the elderly and women, which makes these groups particularly vulnerable. Many elderly people have limited financial resources and the increased cost may force them to forgo necessary medication, which worsens their health and risks increasing healthcare costs in the long run, she has told News24.
DON’T MISS: Pensioners may have to pay SEK 575 more – PRO critical
Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) presents the budget bill for 2025. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT
In total, the government wants to spend 26.7 of the total of 60 billion on reduced taxes, which corresponds to 44 percent of the total budget. The breakdown in the budget bill looks as follows:
PRO’s Åsa Lindestam: “Thumbs down”
However, Cars-Ingels is not the only one who has been critical of the government’s budget and how it may affect the country’s elderly.
When the budget is presented by the finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) was PRO’s chairman Åsa Lindestam not impressed either.
She believes that the budget completely fails to take into account and support the organization’s members and the money set aside to lower taxes is way too little.
– It’s really thumbs down. They are talking about SEK 150 more a month, she said after the announcement.
READ MORE: The pensioners saw the budget: “It’s terrible”
After Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson presented the 2025 budget proposal, PRO’s chairman Åsa Lindestam was not at all impressed. Jessica Gow/TT & Caisa Rasmussen/TTPensioner? You must report this to the Pensions Authority
An important authority in society is the Pensions Authority, whose mission is to administer and pay out pensions, while managing information about the pension regardless of the recipient’s age.
As more and more Swedes choose to continue working after reaching retirement age and become so-called “job bonaires”, there are therefore some important details that you must be aware of. Otherwise, you risk receiving a repayment claim from the Swedish Pensions Authority.
This is because if and when your finances change, it can affect your pension and other benefits. If, for example, you have a source of income because you work while drawing part of the pension, you must therefore report this to the authority.
“It is important to keep track of the information that forms the basis of your decision. If something changes, you need to report this,” writes the Pensions Authority’s press secretary Johan Andersson in another email News24.
This also applies to you who are retired and take part in the pension who choose to move in with love and become cohabitants or choose to move abroad, or alternatively receive a new or changed pension from abroad. In these cases, you risk being liable for repayment if your changed financial situation is not reported.
DON’T MISS: Pension savings? Then it pays to switch salaries
The Swedish Pensions Authority’s press secretary Johan Andersson writes to Nyheter24 that it is important to make sure that the authority has correct information about you. Photo: Pressbild Pensionsmyndigheten You must report any changes that may affect your pension. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TTPensionsmyndigheten: Then you must report changes
In addition to the responsibility being yours, the Swedish Pensions Agency also makes regular checks of reported information against, among other things, the Swedish Tax Agency and other pension companies. Thus, it is of the utmost importance that they have correct and correctly updated information about you and your financial situation.
At the Pensions Authority homepage the authority explains that it regularly carries out checks of submitted information against both the Swedish Tax Agency and various occupational pension companies. However, you yourself are always responsible for notifying a possible change that may affect the pension or other benefits.
Below are the Pensions Authority’s examples of when you must report changes that may affect your pension. Otherwise, you risk being liable for repayment:
DON’T MISS: The pension will be increased by SEK 3,648 – here are those who will be without it
The Swedish Pensions Agency will then examine the decision
In addition to changes to your income, you must also always report changes that affect housing allowance or elderly support.
If you have a housing allowance that changes for one reason or another, making the allowance higher or lower, this may affect your pension payments. It could, for example, be about you selling a house or shares.
In cases where the authority has determined a refund, the matter is examined before it is then handed over to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, which handles the Pensions Authority’s claims.
“After the obligation to repay has been established, the Pensions Authority examines whether there are special reasons for fully or partially waiving claims for repayment. When a decision on repayment has been made, the matter is handed over to the claims management at Försäkringskassan, which handles the Pensions Authority’s claims,” Andersson writes in conclusion to Nyheter24.
READ MORE: That’s what happens with the pension if you die early – this is where the money goes