Impairment
Last updated: 9/11-2023
A person with an impairment is someone with a reduction in their physical, mental or intellectual abilities. About one in every four people in Sweden has some form of impairment.
People with impairments have the same rights to participate in society as everyone else. For example, children with impairments must be given child care and schooling like all other children. All forms of discrimination on the basis of impairments are prohibited under the Discrimination Act.
Individual support
In order to make participation in society on equal terms possible, there are several types of individual support for people with impairments. What support you receive depends on your impairment and on what support you need.
Via Försäkringskassan you can become eligible for various forms of compensation, such as for having your home and car adapted to your needs, or various other financial benefits.
You can receive support from the health and medical care services in the form of rehabilitation and prescriptions for aids (devices to help you). If you have any questions about what support is available for you, contact your region.
You can also be given individual support by your municipality. This can be in the form of personal assistance, special needs housing, or an attendant to help you get around. If you have difficulties travelling on your own or on public transport (buses, trains, trams) you may be eligible for transport services (Färdtjänst). This means you travel in a taxi or a minibus. If you have any questions about what help is available for you, contact the social services in your municipality.
If you have an impairment you may also be eligible for special support in the form of a job or other activity that you can do. This includes help in getting employed in special forms of employment and applying for working aids.
Myndigheten för delaktighet (the Swedish Agency for Participation, abbreviated MFD in Swedish) has published a brochure with information for people who are new to Sweden and have a functional impairment. The brochure is available in several languages.
Further information
Funktionsrätt Sverige, or the Swedish Disability Rights Federation, is an umbrella organisation for a large number of national disability organisations.
Synskadades Riksförbund, the Swedish Association of the Visually Impaired, is non-profit organisation protecting the interests of the visually impaired.
Hörselskadades Riksförbund (HRF), or the National Federation of Hearing Impaired People, is Sweden's biggest organisation for the hearing impaired.
DHR stands for Participation, Actionability, Freedom of movement, and is an organisation for people with reduced mobility.
Neuro is an independent association focused on neurology.
The Swedish Rheumatism Association brings together and disseminates knowledge about rheumatic diseases.
Autism Sverige works to improve the lives of people with autism.
Svenska Downföreningen (the Swedish National Down Syndrome Association) works to increase knowledge about Down syndrome and improve the lives of people with Down syndrome.
FUB (the Swedish National Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities) works to enable children, young people and adults with intellectual impairments to live a good life.
Disabled Refugees Welcome (DRW) is a project for people who have arrived recently in Sweden and have a functional impairment. DRW is run by the Independent Living Institute (ILI).
