stilläget

Stilläget is the Swedish term for a supplementary payment added to a main benefit within the country’s social security system. It is not a separate benefit by itself, but a supplement intended to increase the total income of the recipient or to cover particular costs. The word is used in official contexts to refer to different forms of extra payments that accompany base benefits such as pensions, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, or housing allowances. The size and existence of a tillägg depend on various factors and are typically means-tested.

Common examples include bostadstillägg, a housing supplement for pensioners and certain other low‑income groups to help cover housing costs. The amount is determined based on income, housing expenses, and household composition, and is reduced as income rises. Other possible stillägg can attach to disability or sickness benefits or to child and family allowances in some programs, again changing with the recipient’s overall financial situation.

Administration and policy: In Sweden, many stillägg are administered by Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) and are governed by national social security laws and regulations. Rules for tillägg can change with reforms and vary between programs. The term underscores how benefits are often designed as layered support, combining a base rate with supplements to better reflect individual needs.