Qualifying income

These are income payments reported each month to the Norwegian Tax Administration by employers, NAV and other reporting entities. Monthly income includes, for example, wages, social security benefits, pensions, back payments, holiday pay and other taxable income.

The Housing Bank retrieves this information automatically each month and uses it to determine your income basis. We only include taxable gross income (income before tax).

If you live with household members under the age of 20, their monthly income is not included in the calculation.

If you receive Work Assessment Allowance (AAP) or unemployment benefit, we include only two-thirds of the income in the calculation if you receive payments for three 14-day benefit periods within the same month. 

Gross business income for the current calendar year is included in the income calculation. Your business income is divided equally over 12 months and added to your monthly income.

You must estimate your total gross business income for the current calendar year.

If you live with household members under the age of 20, their business income is not included in the calculation.

Capital income includes, for example, interest income, returns on shares or investment funds, profits from taxable rental income, and taxable gains from the sale of a home.

Gross capital income (before tax) exceeding NOK 6,672 per year is included in the income calculation. The tax-free threshold applies to each individual. Capital income is divided equally over 12 months and added to your monthly income.

You must estimate your total capital income for the current calendar year.

If you live with household members under the age of 20, their capital income is not included in the calculation.

Foreign income may include wages, pensions and other taxable income. You must report foreign income regardless of the country in which it is taxed. Foreign income is divided equally over 12 months for the purpose of the calculation.

You must estimate your total foreign income for the current calendar year.

If you live with household members under the age of 20, their foreign income is not included in the calculation.

Net assets are calculated as the value of your total assets minus your debts. Assets may include bank deposits, the tax value of your home or other property, the value of a car, shares and other investments. Debts may include a mortgage, student loan or other liabilities.

The net assets of all household members aged 18 or over are taken into account.

If you rent your home, the exemption threshold for net assets is NOK 333,557. If you own your home, up to NOK 700,468 of the tax value of your primary residence is exempt.

If your net assets exceed the exemption threshold, 65 per cent of the amount above the threshold is added to your income as an asset supplement. The asset supplement is divided equally over 12 months and added to your monthly income.

If you (or the other parent) are taxed on behalf of a child who has assets, and this increases your net assets, you may ask us to exclude the child's assets from your net assets. Read more about children's assets below.

The asset supplement is calculated as follows: Net assets − exemption threshold × 65% = annual asset supplement

Examples of the asset supplement calculation for tenants

• Net assets: NOK 750,000
  Annual asset supplement: (750,000 − 333,557) × 65% = NOK 270,688
  Monthly asset supplement: 270,688 ÷ 12 = NOK 22,557

• Net assets: NOK 350,000
  Annual asset supplement: (350,000 − 333,557) × 65% = NOK 10,688
  Monthly asset supplement: 10,688 ÷ 12 = NOK 890

Examples of the asset supplement calculation for homeowners, housing cooperatives and owner-occupied flats

• Net assets: NOK 1,000,000, including a tax value of NOK 800,000 for the home
  Annual asset supplement: (1,000,000 − 700,468) × 65% = NOK 194,696
  Monthly asset supplement: 194,696 ÷ 12 = NOK 16,224

• Net assets: NOK 580,000, including a tax value of NOK 460,000 for the home
  Net assets excluding the tax value of the home: 580,000 − 460,000 = 120,000
  Annual asset supplement: 120,000 × 65% = NOK 78,000
  Monthly asset supplement: 78,000 ÷ 12 = NOK 6,500

Tax-exempt rental income is included in the income calculation. This may include income from renting out a room in your home or a self-contained basement flat, or similar accommodation.

If you or another member of your household has high net assets because you are taxed on behalf of a child who owns assets, we may disregard the child's assets and any income generated from those assets, provided that the assets are registered in the child's name.

What you need to do:

Complete the form below.

Send the completed form to your municipality's housing allowance office.

Housing Allowance – Information about a Child's Assets – Norwegian (PDF)

• Income of household members under the age of 20
• Assets belonging to children under the age of 18
• Child benefit
• Child maintenance payments
• Cash-for-care benefit
• Employment programme allowance
• One-off grant on the birth or adoption of a child
• Childcare benefit
• Basic benefit and attendance benefit
• Social assistance
• Tax refunds