The Welfare Society – Education, Healthcare and Social Insurance
Swedish welfare is based on common funding through taxes. This module explains how education, healthcare, social care and social insurance are interconnected.
What this module covers
- School and education
- Healthcare and dental care
- Social insurance
- Elderly care
- Tax and welfare
Education and Schools
Schooling in Sweden is free of charge and includes preschool, compulsory school, upper secondary school and adult education. Compulsory schooling applies between the ages of 6 and 16.
Healthcare
Healthcare is primarily funded through taxes and organised by the regions. Patient fees are low, and the high-cost protection (högkostnadsskyddet) sets an annual cap.
Social Insurance and Försäkringskassan
Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) disburses, among other things, sickness benefits, parental benefits, child benefits, and housing benefits. Pensions are handled by Pensionsmyndigheten (the Swedish Pensions Agency).
Elderly Care
The municipality is responsible for elderly care – home care, special accommodation, and day activities. Support is based on needs, not income.
Real-world examples
Example: Parental benefit
Parents in Sweden are entitled to 480 days of parental benefit per child.
Example: Compulsory schooling
All children between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school, regardless of background.
Frequently asked questions
Practise on the Welfare Society
Practice with real test questions for the Swedish citizenship test.