Parental leave as a single parent
This guide covers you as an ensamstående förälder (single parent) in Försäkringskassan's sense, either because you have sole custody of the child, or because the other parent can't take part in parental leave (deceased, unknown, or otherwise unable).
As a single parent you get all 480 days yourself: 390 days at the sickness-benefit level and 90 days at lägstanivå. There's no partner to share with, and no reserved days you could lose.
All 480 days are yours
Normally each parent gets 240 days, 90 of which are reserved and non-transferable. As a single parent you get the entire pot: 480 days per child. How much you receive per day depends on your SGI and income type. The rules are the same as for other parents, so check the guide that matches your employment situation for the numbers.
Longer vacation accrual
You accrue vacation days during the first 180 days of parental leave per year: six months, rather than the four months a partnered parent gets. After that, accrual stops until the next calendar year. Worth factoring in when you're planning a long leave.
Who qualifies as ensamstående at Försäkringskassan?
Shared custody after separation doesn't automatically count as ensamstående — both parents still have their 240 days each and must agree on how to split them. You count as ensamstående at Försäkringskassan when you have sole custody, or when the other parent is deceased, unknown, or permanently unable to exercise parental responsibility.
Frequently asked questions
As a single parent you accrue vacation days during the first 180 days of parental leave per year, compared to 120 days for a partnered parent. After that, accrual stops until the calendar year resets.
If the legal custody situation changes, for example the other parent moves in or the legal arrangement is revised, your day allocation may be re-evaluated. Notify Försäkringskassan of any change so they can adjust the entitlement.
Dubbeldagar (double days) are designed for two parents on leave simultaneously, so they don't apply to you. On the other hand, you have all 480 days available to use however you like, in practice more flexibility than the 60 dubbeldagar available to two-parent families.
The calculation is the same as for other parents: 77.6 % of your SGI per day at the sickness-benefit level, or 180 SEK/day at lägstanivå. How SGI is calculated depends on whether you're an employee, sole trader, or AB owner. See the guide that matches your income type for the specifics.