This is how your wallet is affected by the budget

On Thursday, Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) presented her transition budget.

For households, it is mainly automatic calculations of taxes and contributions that affect the wallets for next year. The cut-off point for state income tax is raised by approximately SEK 1,400 to just under SEK 56,500 in monthly salary. Guaranteed pension and student funds are also counted.

- But it is not a consequence of active politics, says Stefan Westerberg.

The temporary subsidies that the Tidö government introduced and which are now disappearing have the greater impact. The reduction in the carbon dioxide tax expires on 1 December, which will increase the price of petrol and diesel by around three kroner per litre. The halving of the price of monthly passes in public transport ends on 2 December. The high-cost protection for electricity only applies until the turn of the year, while electricity prices look set to be high at the beginning of 2027.

- Extending the high-cost protection will be a question until the winter. As the forward electricity prices look today, we are at higher levels than during the extremely bad winter of 2022-2023, predicts Stefan Westerberg.

However, the reduction in food VAT will continue during the next year. Together with other reforms introduced this year, many households still look to have slightly more money in their wallets in January compared to the same month last year.

- But what appears to be a plus may well turn out to be a minus if you take into account the reforms that are disappearing, says Arturo Arques, private economist at Swedbank and the savings banks.

He points out that interest rates and inflation also appear to be on the rise, which increases household spending.

Those who appear to be relative winners on the budget are families with children with two adults who have high incomes. Losers are generally those with low incomes who are outside the labor market.

- The unemployed, students, guaranteed pensioners and those who live on sickness and activity benefits do not get much left over in their wallets. That's how it has looked, unfortunately, in recent years, and there hasn't been much difference if it's been a left-wing or right-wing government, says Arturo Arques.