Parents of children with shared permanent housing to be given equal status

The change aims to improve the living arrangements of children. 

• The change also applies to any children of partners or other adults in the household.
• For the change to apply, the agreement of shared permanent housing must be registered in the National Population Register. 

What is shared permanent housing?

In the case of a relationship breakdown, the parents can agree what kind of housing arrangements they want for their children: shared permanent housing or shared housing.

• Shared housing means the child lives with one parent, and has a visitation arrangement with the other one.
• Shared permanent housing means the child has permanent housing with both parents.

Shared permanent housing is a legal agreement in accordance with Section 36 of the Children Act. This kind of agreement involves both parents taking important decisions on behalf of the child jointly. This is unlike a visitation agreement, where one parent has sole custody over the child and can take all decisions by themselves. 

It isn’t decisive how much of the time the child stays the night with each parent. 

Are you the parent of a child with shared permanent housing?

Have you not yet applied for housing allowance? Click here to find out if you are entitled to housing allowance.

If you have applied, and have a child with shared permanent housing who is not currently included on your application, you can add the child to your application. That may entitle you to higher housing allowance. 

You can change your application for June by logging into Min bostøtte (My Housing Allowance). If you are unable to make changes electronically, you must notify your municipality’s housing allowance department.

Find out more about shared permanent housing at skatteetaten.no.