Swedish office words from Sweden, explained
The words you see in official letters in Sweden, in plain English.
- a-kassa
- Unemployment insurance fund, and the benefit it pays.
- aktivitetsrapport
- A monthly report to Arbetsförmedlingen about your job search.
- anstånd
- A delay — more time to pay or to answer.
- avbetalningsplan
- A plan to pay a debt in monthly parts.
- bankgiro
- An account number used for bill payments in Sweden, like 123-4567.
- barnbidrag
- Child benefit, paid every month for each child.
- bestrida
- To dispute a claim — to say you don’t agree that you owe the money.
- betalningsanmärkning
- A payment remark — a note that you didn’t pay a debt. It makes it hard to rent or borrow, usually for three years.
- betalningsföreläggande
- A payment order. Someone asks Kronofogden to decide that you must pay.
- bostadsbidrag
- Housing allowance for families with children and young people with low income.
- ekonomiskt bistånd
- Social assistance from the kommun for people who can’t support themselves.
- fick del av beslutet
- The day you received the decision. Many deadlines start then.
- folkbokföring
- The population register — where you are registered as living.
- förfallodag
- Due date — the last day to pay.
- Försäkringskassan
- The social insurance office. It pays child benefit, parental benefit, sickness benefit and more.
- förvaltningsrätt
- Administrative court. It handles appeals against decisions by offices and the kommun.
- föräldrapenning
- Parental benefit when you stay home with your child.
- hyresnämnden
- The rent tribunal. It helps settle disputes between tenants and landlords.
- inkassokrav
- A demand from a debt collector to pay an unpaid bill.
- kallelse
- An invitation to an appointment, meeting or hearing.
- komplettering
- A request to send more information or papers.
- Kronofogden
- The Swedish Enforcement Authority. It collects debts and handles payment orders.
- OCR-nummer
- Payment reference number. It links your payment to your bill.
- omprövning
- A request to the same office to look at its decision again.
- ordningsbot
- A fixed fine for a minor offence, for example speeding.
- personnummer
- Your personal identity number, like 850730-1234.
- plusgiro
- Another account number used for bill payments, like 12 34 56-7.
- påminnelseavgift
- A reminder fee. It is limited by law.
- restskatt
- Tax you still have to pay for the year.
- samordningsnummer
- An identity number for people who are not, or not yet, registered as living in Sweden.
- skattekonto
- Your tax account at Skatteverket. Tax payments and refunds go through it.
- Skatteverket
- The Swedish tax office. It also keeps the population register (folkbokföring).
- skuldsanering
- Debt relief decided by Kronofogden for people who can’t pay their debts.
- slutskattebesked
- Your final tax statement for the year: money back or tax to pay.
- strafföreläggande
- An offer from the prosecutor to accept a fine instead of a court case.
- trängselskatt
- Congestion tax for driving into central Stockholm or Gothenburg.
- uppehållstillstånd
- Residence permit.
- uppsägning
- Notice that a contract will end, for example your rental contract.
- utmätning
- Seizure of money or property to pay a debt, for example part of your salary.
- återkrav
- A claim to pay back money you got but weren’t entitled to.
- överklaga
- To appeal a decision to a court or higher office.