Swedish Unemployment Benefits Increased Amidst Gender Wage Gap Concerns
Sweden increases unemployment benefits while facing a rise in the gender wage gap.
Key Points
- • Unemployment benefits to rise from 1,200 SEK to 1,236 SEK from August 4, 2025.
- • Gender pay gap increases from 10.0% to 10.2% between 2023 and 2024.
- • Wage disparity has remained largely unchanged since 2019.
- • Significant unexplained wage gap persists at 4.6%.
Recent developments indicate that Sweden is set to increase its unemployment benefits as the nation grapples with a slight but notable rise in the gender wage gap. As of August 4, 2025, the maximum compensation from the a-kassa, or unemployment insurance fund, will rise from 1,200 SEK to 1,236 SEK per day, marking an increase of up to approximately 800 SEK a month. This adjustment comes in response to the country’s high unemployment rates, as emphasized by Labor Market and Integration Minister Mats Persson, who labeled the increase as necessary given current economic challenges.
Simultaneously, new data from the Medlingsinstitutet shows that the gender pay gap has increased from 10.0% in 2023 to 10.2% in 2024. This change reflects an ongoing trend, as the gap has remained largely constant since 2019 with a total reduction of only 6.1 percentage points since 2005. Factors contributing to this enduring disparity include the gender-segregated labor market, where men and women often pursue different professions with varying pay scales. Even after accounting for age, education, and agreed working hours, an unexplained wage gap of 4.6% remains between genders for 2024.
This dual focus on enhanced support for the unemployed and a persistent gender wage gap underscores significant social and economic challenges facing Sweden today.