Students 'can claim benefits during holidays'
Students could soon be allowed to claim social benefits during the summer break, thanks to a judgment by an appeal court in Gothenburg.
The decision, that could prove costly for local councils – and taxpayers – came in the case of Cecilia Svensson, a single mother and student. Svensson was denied social benefits for the summer holidays by the local council in Karlstad, in 2004. The council argued that her student grants and loans should be enough to support her.
A court in Karlstad had earlier dismissed Svensson’s case, but the court of appeal decided that she should be allowed benefits, Dagens Nyheter reported.
Lotta Ljungquist at student organisation SFS said it was a “landmark case” that would give students “the same rights to apply for social benefits as everyone else."
But a spokeswoman for the Swedish Association of Local Authorities said this was not a leading case, and was only relevant for Svensson’s particular circumstances. She said that local councils would continue to deny students benefits during the holidays.
The Local
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The decision, that could prove costly for local councils – and taxpayers – came in the case of Cecilia Svensson, a single mother and student. Svensson was denied social benefits for the summer holidays by the local council in Karlstad, in 2004. The council argued that her student grants and loans should be enough to support her.
A court in Karlstad had earlier dismissed Svensson’s case, but the court of appeal decided that she should be allowed benefits, Dagens Nyheter reported.
Lotta Ljungquist at student organisation SFS said it was a “landmark case” that would give students “the same rights to apply for social benefits as everyone else."
But a spokeswoman for the Swedish Association of Local Authorities said this was not a leading case, and was only relevant for Svensson’s particular circumstances. She said that local councils would continue to deny students benefits during the holidays.
The Local
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