Many municipalities in the country are struggling with a declining economy. SVT Nyheter has therefore asked the municipalities how it affects welfare. Every third municipality in the survey puts less money in any welfare area in the budget for 2020 compared to the previous year.

It is very much about the school. Almost every fifth municipality states that the budget for preschool and school childcare will be lower in 2020. Almost as many respond that the budget is reduced within primary, secondary and other education.

Why the school?

"Schools are a very large part of the costs in the municipal budgets," says Annika Wallenskog, chief economist at Sweden's municipalities and regions.

"Maybe have to close smaller schools"

SVT News has also asked the municipalities how the content of welfare is affected. Almost every fifth municipality responds that the economic framework leads to poorer quality of welfare. Approximately one in ten municipalities in the survey fear that the quality within the school will be poorer due to reductions.

- What can happen in some smaller municipalities is that you may have to close smaller schools in the countryside, or you may have to change within the elderly. These are the big areas where there is a lot of money, says Annika Wallenskog.

But is it supposed to be worse and worse with welfare?

- No, that's not the point. The idea is that you should be able to do good welfare, but maybe in a different way than we do today, says Annika Wallenskog.

Compensation for schools

In addition, well-developed village schools do not necessarily compensate for the cost equalization for the municipalities.

- There is a calculation, how many schools one should have based on how sparse the municipality is and where the students live. If you have more schools then, you will not receive compensation for them, says Annika Wallenskog.

- You cannot compensate the municipalities based on how they choose to use the money, but only that they should have the same conditions as everyone else.