The government wants to be able to withdraw benefits for individuals who evade imprisonment, prison sentences or closed youth care.
This is something that must be addressed, says Social Insurance Minister Anna Tenje (The Moderate Party).
The government is submitting a proposal today to withdraw compensation from social insurance if a person evades the enforcement of a sentence or imprisonment.
This can include benefits such as parental allowance, child allowance, and sickness compensation.
Today, those who have been sentenced to prison and are serving their sentence have their benefits withdrawn or reduced. The same does not apply to those who evade justice.
Society sends the wrong signal if those who evade legal responsibility are treated more favorably than those who are deprived of their liberty, according to the government.
Up until June this year, 1,600 individuals evaded imprisonment, prison sentences or closed youth care. It is unclear how many of them receive compensation from social insurance.
It's not the large number that's the problem, but rather the principle. We protect taxpayers' money and don't want to see it in criminals' pockets, says Anna Tenje.
These economic means are what can enable people to continue hiding, she says.
The proposal is proposed to come into effect on July 1, 2025.
