2026-04-222025/26:SfU18 · p.12SfUMigration & social insurance
Benefit levels in sick pay
Benefit levels and flexible return to work in sickness benefit
What's at stake: The current rules on benefit levels make it difficult to gradually increase working hours during rehabilitation, which critics say can make it harder for people on sick leave to return to work. The issue therefore concerns how quickly and safely people with reduced work capacity can return to employment.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should quickly draw up a proposal for more flexible benefit levels in sickness benefit, so that someone who is ill can gradually increase their working hours when returning to work, or whether the current benefit levels and rules should remain unchanged.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion calling for more flexible benefit levels and refers to the current rules on sickness benefit, which set out the conditions and levels under which benefit is paid for reduced work capacity.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 20 (V, C, MP)
The reservation (V, C, MP) argues that a gradual increase in working hours makes it easier to return to work and supports good rehabilitation, but that the current rules on benefit levels make this difficult. The government should therefore quickly bring forward a proposal for more flexible benefit levels in sickness benefit.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 20 by V, C, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 235–52Ja 175–112
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/16/0/6 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 89/1/0/16 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/13/0/5 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | No 1/19/0/4 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 14/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 55/0/0/11 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 60/0/0/10 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| SPer-Arne Håkansson (S, Skåne läns norra och östra) | No — party line: Yes |
| CMalin Björk (C, Stockholms kommun) | Yes — party line: No |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:2779 by Isabell Mixter et al. (V) request 6, 2025/26:3187 by Martina Johansson et al. (C) request 5 and 2025/26:3502 by Malte Tängmark Roos et al. (MP) request 3.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:2779 av Isabell Mixter m.fl. (V) yrkande 6, 2025/26:3187 av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C) yrkande 5 och 2025/26:3502 av Malte Tängmark Roos m.fl. (MP) yrkande 3.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said no to 162 proposals in motions from the general motion period 2025. The proposals are about, among other things, security systems for entrepreneurs and students, sick leave insurance and rehabilitation, sick leave and activity benefits as well as occupational injury insurance. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to the fact that investigations and deliberations are ongoing.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to index benefit levels in the insurance system. (V, C, MP) — Reservation 20
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan demands a humane sickness insurance and an end to social insurance exclusion, and that the benefits are designed so that everyone can live securely.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands a humane sickness insurance and an end to social insurance exclusion, and that the benefits are designed so that everyone can live securely. More flexible benefit levels that enable gradual scaling up of working hours during rehabilitation lie in line with that: the regulations should be adapted to people's actual work capacity, not the other way around. The plan also establishes that help should be provided quickly regardless of whether the injury is physical or mental.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver en mänsklig sjukförsäkring och ett slut på utförsäkrandet, och att försäkringarna utformas så att alla kan leva tryggt. Flexiblare förmånsnivåer som möjliggör gradvis upptrappning av arbetstiden vid rehabilitering ligger i linje med det: regelverket ska anpassas efter människors faktiska arbetsförmåga, inte tvärtom. Planen slår också fast att man ska få hjälp snabbt oavsett om skadan är fysisk eller psykisk.
- humane sickness insurancedecisive»Vänsterpartiet vill se en mänsklig sjukförsäkring och ett slut på utförsäkrandet av sjuka.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to see a humane sickness insurance and an end to the exclusion of the sick from insurance.”
- benefits adapted to need»Samtidigt behöver de vara utformade så att alla människor ska kunna leva tryggt« (party programme ↗)“At the same time they need to be designed so that all people can live securely”
- strong social insurance schemes»Vi vill se starka försäkringar som skapar trygghet för var och en under hela livet.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see strong insurance schemes that create security for everyone throughout life.”
- rehabilitation without obstacles»Du ska ha rätt till hjälp snabbt oavsett om du har brutit benet eller blivit utbränd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“You shall have the right to help quickly whether you have broken your leg or burnt out.”
The party programme promises increased security for the sick-leave insured and that everyone's working capacity is utilized, and the election manifesto defends the principle that those who are too sick to work can rely on the sickness insurance.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme promises increased security for the sick-leave insured and that everyone's working capacity is utilized, and the election manifesto defends the principle that those who are too sick to work can rely on the sickness insurance. The counter-proposal's requirement for more flexible benefit levels aims at gradual escalation of working time and better rehabilitation, which is in line with these commitments and with the goal that more shall manage a full working life.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet lovar ökad trygghet för sjukskrivna och att allas arbetsförmåga tas tillvara, och valmanifestet slår vakt om att den som är för sjuk för att arbeta ska kunna lita på sjukförsäkringen. Motförslagets krav på flexiblare förmånsnivåer syftar till gradvis upptrappning av arbetstiden och bättre rehabilitering, vilket ligger i linje med dessa åtaganden och med målet att fler ska orka ett helt arbetsliv.
- security for the sick-leave insureddecisive»Ökad trygghet för sjukskrivna och arbetsskadade.« (party programme ↗)“Increased security for the sick-leave insured and work-injured.”
- reliable sickness insurance»vi slår vakt om principen att den som är för sjuk för att arbeta ska kunna lita på sjukförsäkringen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“we defend the principle that those who are too sick to work can rely on sickness insurance”
- utilize working capacity»Allas arbetsförmåga tas tillvara.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone's working capacity is utilized.”
- sustainable working life»Fler som orkar jobba hela arbetslivet.« (party programme ↗)“More who can manage to work throughout their entire working life.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants to change the sickness insurance system so that it provides better security during sick leave and so that people do not fall between the cracks of the systems.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to change the sickness insurance system so that it provides better security during sick leave and so that people do not fall between the cracks of the systems. The counter-proposal's demands for more flexible benefit levels, which make gradual return to work possible, is such a change and responds to the plan's concern about growing stress-related sick leave and the need for sustainable working life.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill förändra sjukförsäkringen så att den ger bättre trygghet vid sjukskrivning och så att människor inte faller mellan systemens stolar. Motförslagets krav på flexiblare förmånsnivåer, som gör gradvis återgång i arbete möjlig, är en sådan förändring och svarar mot planens oro för de växande stressrelaterade sjukskrivningarna och behovet av ett hållbart arbetsliv.
- more secure sickness insurancedecisive»förändra sjukförsäkringen så den ger bättre trygghet vid sjukskrivning och se till att människor inte bollas mellan myndigheter när de behöver samhällets stöd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“change the sickness insurance system so it provides better security during sick leave and ensure that people are not passed between authorities when they need society's support”
- seamless security system»Ingen människa ska hamna i kläm mellan a-kassa och sjukförsäkring,« (party programme ↗)“No person should be left in the lurch between unemployment insurance and sickness insurance,”
- stress-related sick leave»Sjukskrivningar på grund av stress har ökat.« (party programme ↗)“Sick leave due to stress has increased.”
- sustainable working life»korta arbetstiden så att fler människor orkar jobba ett helt arbetsliv« (2022 manifesto ↗)“shorten working time so that more people can work for an entire working life”
The election manifesto explicitly promises that sickness benefits will become more flexible and that rehabilitation will be improved, and the party programme states that sickness insurance should provide the rehabilitation needed to return to work.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly promises that sickness benefits will become more flexible and that rehabilitation will be improved, and the party programme states that sickness insurance should provide the rehabilitation needed to return to work. The counter-proposal's requirement for more flexible benefit levels that enable gradual increase in working time is precisely such a measure. The plan therefore supports the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar uttryckligen att sjukskrivningen ska bli mer flexibel och att rehabiliteringen ska förbättras, och partiprogrammet säger att sjukförsäkringen ska ge den rehabilitering som krävs för att kunna återgå i arbete. Motförslagets krav på flexiblare förmånsnivåer som möjliggör gradvis upptrappning av arbetstiden är precis den åtgärden. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- flexible sickness benefitsdecisive»Vi vill göra sjukskrivningen mer flexibel och förbättra rehabiliteringen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to make sickness benefits more flexible and improve rehabilitation.”
- more flexible sickness benefit rules»Vi vill att den som söker vård ska erbjudas en enkel väg in för stöd och hjälp, att vården ska få bättre verktyg för behandling och att sjukskrivningen ska bli mer flexibel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want the person seeking care to be offered a simple pathway for support and assistance, for healthcare to have better treatment tools and for sickness benefits to become more flexible.”
- return to work»den enskilda att tillfriskna och få den rehabilitering som krävs för att kunna återgå i arbete.« (party programme ↗)“the individual to recover and receive the rehabilitation needed to return to work.”
The plan establishes that sick leave insurance shall be linked to support and rehabilitation to facilitate return to work, and that those who after long sick leave try to work shall be able to do so.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that sick leave insurance shall be linked to support and rehabilitation to facilitate return to work, and that those who after long sick leave try to work shall be able to do so. More flexible benefit levels that enable gradual increase in working time are precisely this commitment in practice. The plan also wants more people to have influence over their own working time and that work always pays off.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att sjukförsäkringen ska vara kopplad till stöd och rehabilitering för att underlätta återgång i arbete, och att den som efter lång sjukskrivning provar att arbeta ska kunna göra det. Flexiblare förmånsnivåer som möjliggör gradvis upptrappning av arbetstiden är just detta åtagande i praktiken. Planen vill också att fler ska ha inflytande över sin egen arbetstid och att arbete alltid ska löna sig.
- rehabilitation to workdecisive»vara kopplad till stöd och rehabilitering för att underlätta återgång till arbete.« (party programme ↗)“be linked to support and rehabilitation to facilitate return to work.”
- security during illness»Sjukförsäkringen ska ge ekonomisk trygghet vid både kortvarig och kronisk sjukdom, och ska« (party programme ↗)“Sick leave insurance shall provide economic security for both short-term and chronic illness, and shall”
- flexible working time»Fler anställda bör ha inflytande över sin egen arbetstid, till exempel genom en timbank eller« (party programme ↗)“More employees should have influence over their own working time, for example through a time bank or”
- work line»Det ska alltid löna sig att arbeta.« (party programme ↗)“It shall always pay off to work.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that benefit levels are designed so that the individual is stimulated to participate in measures that lead to good health and return to working life, and wants there to be good opportunities to work a little less during certain periods of life.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that benefit levels are designed so that the individual is stimulated to participate in measures that lead to good health and return to working life, and wants there to be good opportunities to work a little less during certain periods of life. More flexible benefit levels in sickness pay is a direct application of this. The plan also emphasises coordination between social insurance, healthcare and rehabilitation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att ersättningsnivåerna utformas så att den enskilde stimuleras att delta i åtgärder som leder till god hälsa och återgång till arbetslivet, och vill att det finns goda möjligheter att arbeta lite mindre under vissa skeden i livet. Flexiblare förmånsnivåer i sjukpenningen är en direkt tillämpning av detta. Planen betonar också samordning mellan socialförsäkring, vård och rehabilitering.
- benefits that stimulate return to workdecisive»Nivåerna på ersättningarna ska utformas så att den enskilde« (party programme ↗)“The levels of benefits shall be designed so that the individual”
- opportunity to work less»För att underlätta för den enskilde och för familjer ska det finnas goda möjligheter att arbeta« (party programme ↗)“To facilitate the individual and families, there should be good opportunities to work”
- coordinated rehabilitation»Det finns tydliga samband mellan kostnaderna för socialförsäkringarna, hälso- och« (party programme ↗)“There are clear connections between the costs of social insurance, health care and”
- solidary social insurance»Ett solidariskt finansierat socialförsäkringssystem ska finnas för att ge ekonomisk trygghet« (party programme ↗)“A solidaristically financed social insurance system shall exist to provide economic security”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan makes clear that welfare systems shall at all times aim to help people back to work and that policy shall make use of the working capacity that every person has.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes clear that welfare systems shall at all times aim to help people back to work and that policy shall make use of the working capacity that every person has. More flexible benefit levels in sick pay make precisely a gradual return to work possible and thereby strengthen the work line. The plan also wants to reduce involuntary part-time work and get more people in employment.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att välfärdssystemen hela tiden ska syfta till att hjälpa människor tillbaka till arbete och att politiken ska ta vara på den arbetsförmåga varje person har. Flexiblare förmånsnivåer i sjukpenningen gör just en gradvis återgång i arbete möjlig och stärker därmed arbetslinjen. Planen vill också minska det ofrivilliga deltidsarbetet och få fler i arbete.
- return to workdecisive»hjälpa människor tillbaka till arbete och självförsörjning« (party programme ↗)“help people back to work and self-sufficiency”
- make use of working capacity»på den arbetsförmåga som varje enskild person har och bidra« (party programme ↗)“the working capacity that every individual person has and contribute”
- the work line in social insurance»Skatter och bidragssystem ska utgå från arbetslinjen.« (party programme ↗)“Taxes and benefit systems shall be based on the work line.”
- more in work»Minska det ofrivilliga deltidsarbetet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce involuntary part-time work”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly requires that the rules within sickness benefit become more flexible and adapted to the individual's needs and abilities, and that flexibility and individual adaptation in decision-making increase.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that the rules within sickness benefit become more flexible and adapted to the individual's needs and abilities, and that flexibility and individual adaptation in decision-making increase. The counter-proposal's demand for more flexible benefit levels for gradual return to work is the same thing in substance. The plan also emphasizes rehabilitation and early intervention.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att regelverket inom sjukpenningen blir mer flexibelt och anpassas efter individens behov och möjligheter, och att flexibiliteten och individanpassningen i beslutsfattandet ökar. Motförslagets krav på flexiblare förmånsnivåer för gradvis återgång i arbete är samma sak i sak. Planen betonar dessutom rehabilitering och tidiga insatser.
- more flexible sickness benefit rulesdecisive»Regelverket måste därför bli mer flexibelt och anpassas efter individens behov och möjligheter både inom sjukpenning samt sjuk och aktivitetsersättningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The regulations must therefore become more flexible and adapted to the individual's needs and abilities both within sickness benefit and sick and activity compensation.”
- individually adapted decision-making»Öka flexibiliteten och individanpassningen i beslutsfattandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase flexibility and individual adaptation in decision-making”
- rehabilitation and return to work»Se ökat fokus och mer resurser på förebyggande arbete samt rehabilitering« (2022 manifesto ↗)“See increased focus and more resources on preventive work and rehabilitation”
- secure sickness insurance»Verka för en trygg och rättssäker sjukförsäkring« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for a safe and secure sickness insurance”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:SfU18)
- Committee report full text (HD01SfU18)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1216 — Utveckling av Finsamlagstiftningen av Eva Lindh m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1359 — Tidsbegränsning för återkrav inom socialförsäkringen av Dzenan Cisija (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1360 — Avskaffande av karensavdrag i sjukförsäkringen av Dzenan Cisija (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1361 — En reform av sjukförsäkringen som tar hänsyn till vårdköer vid bedömning av arbetsförmåga av Dzenan Cisija (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1415 — Säkrad övergång mellan aktivitetsersättning och sjukersättning av Åsa Karlsson och Helén Pettersson (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:1425 — Musikers och kulturarbetares situation i trygghetssystemet av Mirja Räihä och Per-Arne Håkansson (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:1466 — Arbetsförmedlingen, Försäkringskassan och kommunen av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2025/26:1503 — Brister i arbetsskadeutredningen av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2025/26:1525 — Förutsättningar för våra elitidrottare av Emma Ahlström Köster (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1537 — En fungerande arbetsmarknad i hela Öresundsområdet av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2025/26:1584 — Fribelopp för personer med aktivitetsersättning av Malin Danielsson (L)
- Motion 2025/26:171 — Politik för äldres rättigheter och välmående av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:1768 — Utökad användning av biometri för att motverka bidragsfusk av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1830 — Avskaffande av karensavdraget av Johanna Haraldsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1832 — Utbildning, omställning och trygghet på arbetsmarknaden av Johanna Haraldsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1954 — Översyn av indexering av bidrag och sociala ersättningar av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2025/26:2210 — Möjliggörande av vård av förälder av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2025/26:2221 — Sjukskrivning efter skönhetsoperationer utan medicinska orsaker av Boriana Åberg och Jan Ericson (båda M)
- Motion 2025/26:2779 — En tryggare sjukförsäkring av Isabell Mixter m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:2798 — Svensk flyktingpolitik av Tony Haddou m.fl. (V)
Source: The Swedish Parliament