Shekarabi (S) on the situation of the blind Fredrik Sterner: "Legislation makes unreasonable demands"

On Wednesday, SVT Nyheter Örebro reported on Fredrik Sterner, who has been blind since a young age.  

He does not receive any sickness benefit, at the same time as the Swedish Public Employment Service recommends that he apply for it, as they have not found a suitable job for him for 15 years.

Closing the door

The Minister of Social Insurance, Ardalan Shekarabi (S), who saw the feature that was broadcast in Rapport on Wednesday, says that Fredrik Sterner's case is another testimony to a health insurance that has deteriorated in recent decades:  

- The legislation passed in 2008 is extremely restrictive and makes completely unreasonable demands.

The Swedish Social Insurance Agency has also admitted that this is legislation that in practice closes the door to the right to sickness compensation for very many groups.

Does not offer that security

Is it the intention that a blind person at Fredrik's age should be forced to live on maintenance support because the Swedish Social Insurance Agency denies him sickness compensation even though the Swedish Public Employment Service refers to sickness compensation after trying to find a suitable workplace for Fredrik for 15 years? 

- Sickness benefits were built up to create financial security for people who have lost their ability to work permanently or for a long time.

But today, sickness compensation does not offer that security.

There are very many people who lose the allowance or do not get access to it even though they have lost their ability to work for a long time or permanently.