The trade union ST has this week directed strong criticism at several Swedish authorities such as the Swedish Transport Agency and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency for their long waiting times.
Britta Lejonchairman of ST, believes that the authorities have insufficient resources to hire people.
– We have to do a more modern way of governing the authorities, she said TV4 News.
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Some who could sign this were Försäkringskassan, who in an interview with News24 told that the authority lost around 1,700 employees in one year.
– The general increase in costs in society has affected our current expenses, said Charlotta Jernström at Försäkringskassan to Nyheter24, then.
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Previous criticism of waiting times at the Pensions Authority
At the Pensions Authority, the tone is different.
– When it comes to waiting times on the phone and e-mail, we are in a much better position than last year and previous years, says Monica Zettervallpress release at the Pensions Agency, to Nyheter24.
It is not the first time that the Swedish Pensions Agency has faced criticism for its waiting times. In February 2024, the Pension Authority’s office in Halmstad faced criticism from the Ombudsman after it was discovered that cases from as far back as 2020 were unhandled.
At that time, the unhandled cases mainly concerned housing allowances.
READ MORE: Harsh criticism of the Pensions Authority’s long waiting times
Changed mode: “The longest it can take right now is up to 2 days”
This has changed now, says Zettervall.
– During 2024, we have improved our processing times, for example regarding housing allowances for pensioners. There, among other things, we have significantly improved the processing time when it comes to people who report a change.
According to Zettervall, the vast majority of people who call the Pensions Authority get an answer right away.
– If you send us an e-mail, we usually respond within 24 hours and at the longest it can currently take up to 2 days.
Right now, however, the situation may look different, as it is still holiday season. In most areas of the Pensions Authority, cases take longer in the summer.
– This is due, among other things, to lower staffing, she tells Nyheter24.
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