A-kassan in Sweden functions as a safety net for you who are unemployed. There are a variety of actors that are unemployment funds, including Unionen, Akademikernas, Kommunal and Handels, to name a few.
The very first unemployment insurance was created at the beginning of the 20th century by trade unions and today are their own organizations that are often linked to professional areas and trade unions.
According to statistics from The work 426,800 people aged 16-64 were unemployed at the end of 2023.
DON’T MISS: Positive news for all wage earners – they get more in their wallets
Photo: Jessica Gow/TTUnemployment is on the rise – more people are receiving unemployment benefits
In other words, being a member of an unemployment fund can be crucial to being able to pay bills and buy food.
Now the interest organization Sveriges a-kassor, which consists of 24 different a-kassar, has released figures for the third quarter of 2024. It turns out that during that period nearly 150,000 people received compensation from the a-kassar, which was then an increase of as much as 34 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.
– We can state that unemployment is the highest in ten years”, excluding the pandemic. In times of high unemployment, it is especially important to be a member of the unemployment insurance fund in order to be secure in working life, says Tomas Erikssonhead of office at Sweden’s unemployment insurance funds in one press release.
DON’T MISS: Ten professions with little competition – without education requirements
Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TTH Here, most people received social security
During the third quarter of 2023, 111,679 people received social security benefits. During the same period in 2024, 149,108 people received social security benefits. And the increase in the number of unemployed who receive compensation is visible throughout the country.
Among the counties that stand out, however, there are several that are up and sniffing at a 40 percent increase in relation to the third quarter of 2023. The county that has increased the most in social security payments paid out is Västerbotten, which has increased by 42 percent.
Among the counties that are at the bottom, however, are Norrbotten, with an increase of 14 percent, and Kronoberg, with an increase of 18 percent.
DON’T MISS: The profile was defrauded of SEK 70,000 – warns of the fraud
Photo: Screenshot of Sweden’s unemployment insurance fundsBig change in the unemployment insurance fund: “Noticeable on…”
According to Thomas Eriksson, unemployment is felt throughout the country, which shows the importance of being connected to an unemployment fund. The big change that is now prevailing is in line with how the situation looked during the pandemic.
– That unemployment is high can be seen in the number of people who have received unemployment benefits. It also becomes clear what an important function the unemployment insurance fund has as both security and transition insurance, he says.
When the corona pandemic ravaged Sweden, the number of payments from social security increased drastically. But in 2022 and 2023 it fell again. Once again, a strong increase is seen which is now at the record levels that prevailed during the pandemic years.
READ MORE: Then you can be stopped by the Swedish Tax Agency