In recent years, the waiting times for pensioners applying for housing allowance have increased. In 2017, the average time was 47 days, last year it increased to 72 days.

In November this year, the waiting time averaged 160 days, almost half a year, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

- The processing times must be reduced. We cannot have this long wait for housing allowance, it is people who depend on this financial benefit to which they are entitled, ”Social Security Minister Ardalan Shekarabi (S) told SVT.

A maximum of 40 days

On Thursday, the government will decide on new guidelines for the Pension Authority. At the end of next year, the processing time for new housing allowance applications must not exceed 60 days.

At the end of 2021, the processing time may not exceed 40 days. The requirements must be entered in the new regulatory letter for the Pension Authority.

- Now we have longer and longer processing times and it is unacceptable. Therefore, the government has now set a clear target for the processing times to be reduced in 2020 and 2021, and the authority must continuously report to the government how to work to reduce the times, says Social Security Minister Ardalan Shekarabi.

- We will also ensure that the authority gets more resources so that you can hire extra staff who work specifically with the housing allowances.

Must present an action plan

In the budget for next year, more money was allocated to the Pensions Agency, a total of SEK 25 million will be added next year to shorten the queues.

The authority must also present an action plan for how to reduce the processing times for housing allowances and the waiting time in the authority's customer service. This action plan should then be followed up every month.