Danish office words from Denmark, explained
The words you see in official letters in Denmark, in plain English.
- a-kasse
- Unemployment insurance fund.
- afdragsordning
- A plan to pay a debt in monthly parts.
- afgørelse
- An official decision.
- aktindsigt
- Your right to see the documents in your case.
- Ankestyrelsen
- The national appeals board for many social decisions.
- betalingsfrist
- The last day to pay.
- betalingspåkrav
- A payment order from the court. You have 14 days to object.
- biometri
- Your photo and fingerprints, taken for a residence card.
- boligstøtte
- Housing benefit to help pay rent.
- bødeforelæg
- A fine notice. You can accept it and pay, or refuse so the case goes to court.
- børne- og ungeydelse
- Child benefit, paid four times a year.
- CPR-nummer
- Your personal identity number, like 300785-1234.
- dagpenge
- Unemployment benefit from your a-kasse.
- depositum
- Deposit you paid when you moved in.
- Digital Post
- The digital mailbox where Danish offices send letters. Letters there count as received.
- FI-kort
- A payment code like +71<123456789012345 +12345678<. You type it in your online bank to pay.
- fogedretten
- The bailiff’s court. It handles seizure for debts and evictions.
- forskudsopgørelse
- Your expected income and tax for the coming year. Keep it up to date to avoid restskat.
- Gældsstyrelsen
- The agency that collects debts to public bodies.
- inkasso
- Debt collection.
- jobsamtale
- A meeting at the job centre about your job search.
- klage
- A complaint against a decision.
- klagevejledning
- The part of a decision that tells you how, where and by when to complain.
- kontanthjælp
- Cash benefit from the kommune for people who can’t support themselves.
- lønindeholdelse
- Part of your salary is taken to pay a public debt.
- MitID
- Your digital ID for logging in to public and bank websites.
- modregning
- Money you should get, for example a tax refund, is used to pay a debt.
- opholdstilladelse
- Residence permit.
- opsigelse
- Notice that a contract will end.
- overskydende skat
- Tax you paid too much. You get it back.
- partshøring
- Your chance to give your side before a decision is made.
- påkrav
- A formal demand to pay unpaid rent. If you don’t pay in time, you can lose your home.
- restskat
- Tax you still have to pay for the year.
- rykker
- A payment reminder, often with a fee.
- sanktion
- A cut in your benefit, for example after a missed meeting.
- Skattestyrelsen
- The Danish tax office.
- TastSelv
- The self-service part of skat.dk where you see and change your tax.
- Udbetaling Danmark
- The office that pays many benefits, like child benefit, housing benefit and pension.
- udlæg
- Seizure of belongings or money for a debt.
- årsopgørelse
- Your yearly tax statement: money back or tax to pay.