Sweden’s Försäkringskassan faces rising processing times for sickness benefits

Processing times for Sweden’s Försäkringskassan, responsible for social insurance, continue to increase. As of July, the average time to reach a decision on sickness benefits was 34 days, but it has now risen to approximately 40 days in August. Linda Kaarinasdotter Kärki, from Sandviken, is on sick leave due to anxiety and exhaustion. She has been waiting for 45 days for information on her sickness benefits and expressed frustration, stating, “I find it hard not to think about Försäkringskassan all day. If I didn’t have to think about them, I could focus on healing.”

Extended wait times are also affecting phone services. Last week, the average hold time for inquiries related to sickness benefits was 50 minutes, a stark increase from just 11 minutes during the same period last year. Försäkringskassan attributes these delays to a strained budget and a workforce that is about 1,700 employees smaller than it was a year ago. Nils Öberg, the agency’s director general, has acknowledged the staffing issue and stated, “We have too few employees and managers relative to the size of our mandate.”

With autumn approaching, Försäkringskassan warns that wait times could increase further, indicating a need for additional funding to maintain current service levels. Social Insurance Minister Anna Tenje has expressed concern over the long wait times but refrained from commenting on the potential for increased funding, stating, “Budget negotiations are currently underway, and I won’t precede that discussion.”