Legislative change on accommodation and financial support for asylum seekers
The Swedish Parliament has decided on a legislative change that will affect asylum seekers’ right to financial support and the option to live in their own accommodation. The change will be introduced in two stages. From 1 March, the change only applies to new asylum seekers, and from 1 September 2025, anyone who applied for asylum before 1 March and who lives in their own accommodation is also affected.
Changes from 1 March 2025
Individuals applying for asylum on or after 1 March will be assigned a place at one of the Swedish Migration Agency’s asylum accommodation centres. Those who instead choose to find their own accommodation will not receive a daily allowance or special grant from the Swedish Migration Agency. However, this does not apply to those who live with immediate family who already reside in Sweden, or if other exceptional grounds exist.
New asylum seekers who choose to find their own accommodation must notify the Swedish Migration Agency of their residential address. If they do not, the Swedish Migration Agency may consider their application for protection to be withdrawn.
Changes from 1 September
As of 1 September, the change in the law will apply to all asylum seekers. If you applied for asylum before 1 March 2025 and live in your own accommodation, you will be assigned a place at one of the Swedish Migration Agency’s accommodation centres. To ensure that you keep your daily allowance and special grant, you need to have moved into the accommodation by 31 August 2025. However, this does not apply if you live with your immediate family who already reside in Sweden, or if other exceptional grounds exist.
If you are affected by this change in the law, you will receive more information from the Swedish Migration Agency in good time before the change comes into force.
The change only applies to asylum seekers. If you are from Ukraine and have protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, you will not be affected.