IN NUMBERS: What's in Sweden's 2026 budget?

THE BIG PICTURE

• 1,542 billion – Total government spending planned for 2026

• 1,315 billion – Total government income expected in 2026

• 167 billion – Government deficit expected in 2026

• 78.8 billion – Fiscal space for reforms (reformutrymme)

Historical deficits for comparison:

• 220 billion – Post Covid-19 pandemic

• 176 billion – 2008 financial crisis

• 211 billion – 1990s Swedish banking crisis

WHAT ARE THEY SPENDING IT ON?

Tax cuts:

• 21.4 billion – New earned income tax credit

• 15.9 billion – Halving VAT on food

• 6.5 billion – Reduced electricity tax

• 1.0 billion – High-cost protection for electricity prices

• 1.0 billion – Reduced preschool fees

• 0.7 billion – Higher maximum housing benefit

• 0.5 billion – Reduced tax on sickness pay

• 0.3 billion – Reduced tax for overseas Swedes

• 0.2 billion – Reduced vehicle tax for caravans

• 0.22 billion – Reduced VAT on dance band tickets

Welfare:

• 5.9 billion – Extra healthcare spending

• 3.3 billion – Extra school funding

• 1.0 billion – Dental care

• 0.2 billion – Elderly care quality improvements

Business

• 6.1 billion – Reduced employer fees for young workers

• 1.0 billion – Better tax rules for small companies

• 1.0 billion – Support for agriculture

• 0.5 billion – AI and digitalisation initiatives

Crime:

• 0.9 billion – Prisons and probation

• 0.9 billion – Residential care for troubled youths (SIS-hem)

• 0.7 billion – Measures to disrupt criminal finances

Climate & Environment

• 1.5 billion – “Climate Leap” (Klimatklivet) scheme

• 0.9 billion – Protecting forests and open land

• 0.8 billion – Protecting nature and the sea

• 0.4 billion – Environmental compensation & railway transport

• 0.3 billion – Energy-efficiency upgrades for detached houses

Other

• 1.5 billion – Welfare reform

• 1.2 billion – Civil defence

• 1.2 billion – New nuclear power development

• 0.64 billion – Reducing unemployment

• 0.4 billion – Cybersecurity

• 0.4 billion – Migration and integration

• 0.25 billion – More sports fields