In 2003, financial support for the elderly (ÄFS) was introduced in Sweden, which shifted the responsibility for older people in need of financial support from the municipalities to the state. Prior to the reform, the target group received municipal social assistance (SA), which is a means-tested support for people with little or no income.
The article compares ÄFS and SA, focusing on what is considered a “reasonable living standard”, a concept used for both benefits. This is done through a textual analysis of government bills relevant to the implementation of ÄFS.
The results show that at the time of implementation, the reasonable standard of living for ÄFS was comparable to SA. Gradually, ÄFS has become more generous compared to SA. The calculation of the reasonable living standards for ÄFS is characterised by administrative simplicity, where the assistance is easily calculated for each application rather than assessed to match the needs of the individual recipients, which can be contrasted to the less standardised administration of SA. However, the level of the ÄFS is below the EU poverty line. Thus, the ÄFS does not have a good capacity to lift recipients out of poverty.
The poor relief logic that characterises SA remains in the ÄFS, for instance, through means testing. It is thus possible to see ÄFS as a type of light version of the poor relief logic.