# Elderly Care in Norway: home help, nursing homes and costs

Elderly care in Norway is the responsibility of the municipality. How to apply for home help, home nursing care and nursing homes, what the co-payment costs, and how to appeal a decision.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/eldreomsorg-norge
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-07-08T22:48:54.505+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-19T19:33:11.048612+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- The municipality is responsible Elderly care is the responsibility of the municipality under the Health and Care Services Act. Necessary care is a right for everyone who lives legally in the municipality, regardless of background.
- You apply and can appeal You apply to the municipality, get a written decision and can appeal. The appeal goes first to the municipality, then to the Statsforvalteren, who makes the final decision. The appeal is free.
- The co-payment depends on your income Home nursing care is free. Home help has a low cap for low income (245 kr/month as of 2026). At a nursing home, you pay a share of your income, not your assets.

Elderly care in Norway is the responsibility of the municipality. You apply to the municipality, get a written decision and can appeal. Services are graduated from home help to nursing homes. Necessary care is a right, and most of it is financed by taxes with a low co-payment.

## What is elderly care in Norway, and who is responsible?

**Elderly care in Norway** is a public responsibility. **The municipality** – the local authority where you are registered – must provide health and care services to everyone who needs them. This is set out in the **Health and Care Services Act**.

You do not need to be a Norwegian citizen to get help. Necessary care is a **right** under the **Patients' and Users' Rights Act**. The right applies regardless of your background, as long as you live legally in the municipality.

Services are mainly financed by taxes. You pay a **co-payment**, but it is low and depends on your income. Your family has no legal duty to care for elderly relatives. If you want to help anyway, the municipality can give you **care allowance** – read more about [care allowance and home care](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/omsorgsstonad-hjemmepleie).

## The care ladder: from home help to nursing homes

Norwegian elderly care is built as a **care ladder**. You get help at the lowest level that meets your needs. The aim is for you to stay at home as long as possible.

| Level | Service | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | **Practical assistance** (home help) | Help with cleaning, laundry and shopping |
| 2 | **Home nursing care** | Medicines, wound care and personal care at home |
| 3 | **Safety alarm** and **day centre** | Alarm for falls; activity and meals during the day |
| 4 | **Care housing** | Your own adapted home with services nearby |
| 5 | **Nursing home** (long-term placement) | Full-time care when the need is great |

The municipality always assesses your individual need. Many manage for a long time with home nursing care and a safety alarm. A **nursing home place** is given when you need close monitoring around the clock.

There is an important difference between care housing and a nursing home. A **care housing** is your own home, where you pay rent and get services as needed. A **nursing home** is an institution where care, meals and medicines are included, and you pay one combined co-payment.

If you need a lot of help but want to stay at home, there is also **user-controlled personal assistance (BPA)**. You then choose who helps you and when. The municipality decides if you have the right to this scheme.

## How do you apply for care services in the municipality?

You **apply to the municipality** for help. Most municipalities have a separate application office or "allocation office". You can also get help to apply via **Helsenorge** (the public health portal) or by calling the municipality.

Here is how it works:

- You send an **application** and describe your needs.
- The municipality assesses your needs, often with a home visit.
- You get a written **decision** that says yes or no, and what you get.
- If you disagree, you can **appeal** within the deadline in the decision.

You send the appeal first to the municipality. If the municipality does not change the decision, the case is sent to the **Statsforvalteren** (the state's regional authority), which makes the final decision. The appeal is free. If you need support, the **Patients' and Users' Ombudsman** can help you free of charge.

The municipality cannot say no just because the service is expensive. The decision must be based on an **individual assessment** of your needs. If you get a decision you do not understand, you have the right to ask for an explanation. If your health changes, you can apply again at any time.

## What does elderly care cost? Co-payment and income

The co-payment for **elderly care in Norway** is income-dependent, and no one should pay more than the service costs the municipality. Two rules are important to know.

For **practical assistance** (home help), there is a cap for those with low income. If the household has a net income below 2G (twice the National Insurance basic amount), the municipality can charge a maximum of **245 kroner per month** (as of 2026). **Home nursing care** and other necessary health help at home is **free**.

For **long-term stays in nursing homes**, you pay a share of your income, not a fixed price:

- **75 percent** of income up to 1G.
- Up to **85 percent** of income above 1G.
- You get an **exemption** of **10 950 kroner** (as of 2026) and always keep at least 25 percent of 1G for your own use.

The basic amount (1G) is **136 549 kroner** from 1 May 2026. Your assets – such as a house, cabin or bank savings – do not count. Only ongoing income, such as a pension, counts. The co-payment for a long-term place is first required one month after moving in.

A short stay in a nursing home, called a **short-term stay**, is paid with a fixed daily rate set by the state. If your spouse lives at home, the municipality takes this into account so the family has enough to live on. If you are unsure about the bill, ask the municipality for a written calculation.

## How can immigrant families get help?

You have the right to an **interpreter** when you are in contact with the municipality or the health service. The interpreter is free and is bound by confidentiality. Ask for an interpreter before the meeting so that language does not become a barrier to good care.

The municipality must give you **information** you understand. Feel free to bring a relative to the application meeting. You can also read more about [the Norwegian health system](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/helsesystem-norge) and about [health rights and social security](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/helserettigheter-folketrygd-ehic) to understand what you are entitled to.

Elderly care is closely linked to **pensions**. A pension is often the income that the co-payment is calculated from, and residence in Norway affects how much pension you receive. See how this works in the article about [pensions, residence and contributions](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/pensjon-botid-innvandrere).

Welfare and health are part of the syllabus for the Citizenship Test. With [SamfunnPrep](https://samfunnprep.no/register) you can practise for free on exactly these topics, while learning about the rights that apply to you and your family. Many use SamfunnPrep to prepare safely and at their own pace.

## FAQ

### Who is responsible for elderly care in Norway?

The municipality where you live is responsible. Under the Health and Care Services Act, the municipality must provide home help, home nursing care, care housing and nursing homes to everyone who needs it, regardless of background.

### How do I apply for a nursing home place or home help?

You apply to the municipality, often via an allocation office or Helsenorge. The municipality assesses your needs and gives you a written decision. If you disagree, you can appeal to the municipality and further to the Statsforvalteren.

### What does a nursing home place cost?

For long-term stays, you pay a share of your income: 75 percent of income up to 1G and up to 85 percent above. You get an exemption of 10 950 kroner (as of 2026) and always keep at least 25 percent of 1G. Assets do not count.

### Is home nursing care free?

Yes. Home nursing care and other necessary health help at home is free. For practical assistance (home help), the municipality can charge a co-payment, but with low income below 2G the maximum is 245 kroner per month (as of 2026).

### Can I get an interpreter when I contact the municipality?

Yes. You have the right to a free interpreter when you meet with the municipality and the health service. The interpreter is bound by confidentiality. Ask for an interpreter before the meeting so that language does not become a barrier to proper care.

## Sources

- [Forskrift om egenandel for kommunale helse- og omsorgstjenester](https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2011-12-16-1349)
- [Betaling for sykehjemsplass](https://www.aldringoghelse.no/okonomi/okonomi-ordninger-for-pasienter/betaling-for-sykehjemsplass/)
- [Hjelpetilbud i kommunene](https://www.helsenorge.no/hjelpetilbud-i-kommunene/)
- [Hvordan klage på helse- og omsorgstjenester](https://www.statsforvalteren.no/portal/nyheter/2016/11/hvordan-klage-pa-helse--og-omsorgstjenester/)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Elderly Care in Norway: home help, nursing homes and costs", SamfunnPrep, 2026-07-08T22:48:54.505+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/eldreomsorg-norge