Disability benefit recipients rise in Vestfold and Telemark

A total of 35,950 people in Vestfold and Telemark received disability benefits in the second quarter of this year, more than 300 higher than in the same period last year, according to NRK, citing the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Nav.

Among residents aged 18 to 68, 12.8 percent in Vestfold and 14.4 percent in Telemark received disability benefits. The national average was 10.6 percent.

Anders Anundsen, director of Nav Vestfold and Telemark, said people who receive disability benefits have often undergone lengthy and extensive follow-up programmes with Nav.

“We need to give more people opportunities to enter work earlier in this process if we are to see a positive change in the development of the proportion receiving disability benefits,” he said.