The Department of Pension

Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

The Department of Pension has the overall responsibility for the pension policy, including the work on the pension reform.

The department has the following sections:

Budget and Management Section 

This section is responsible for coordinating the department’s work on the  national budget and for managing the department’s two subordinate agencies: the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund and the Maritime Pension Fund. The section also coordinates the department’s work related to the Ministry’s management of the Labour and Welfare Directorate. BES is also responsible for the department’s internal budget and for coordinating consultation cases.

Deputy Director General: Else Staven

International and Legal Section 

This section is responsible for membership in the National Insurance Scheme, international coordination of social security benefits, bilateral social security agreements, and the administrative provisions of the National Insurance Act, including regulations related to social security fraud.

Deputy Director General: Erik Dæhli

Pension Expertise Section 

This section is responsible for the National Insurance Scheme’s old-age pension, benefits for surviving spouse and child, the occupational injury rules in the National Insurance Scheme, the regulations for public occupational pension schemes, the rules on state subsidies for contractual early retirement pensions, the rules on  anti-cumulation of pension and social security benefits, the pension scheme for nurses, the pension insurance for seamen, the pension insurance for fishermen, war pension, and funeral grants.

Deputy Director General: Biørn Bogstad

Economics and Analysis Section 

This section is responsible for analyzing economic, distributive, and other societal consequences within the department’s areas of expertise. The section has analytical tasks related to the work on the pension reform.

Deputy Director General: Silje Aslaksen

Areas of Responsibility 

The pension policy aims to ensure income in old age and facilitate a flexible and gradual transition from work to retirement. The new pension system is aimed at four main goals. It should be economically and socially sustainable, provide good motivation for work, have a good distribution and equality profile, and be based on simple main principles.