Sweden’s Welfare State and Rental Housing Without Remote Work

A new social welfare law has granted Swedish grandparents the right to paid parental leave. This law extends childcare benefits beyond the child’s immediate family, allowing Swedish parents to transfer part of their parental leave to other caregivers. This reinforces Sweden’s reputation as a standard-bearer for progressive parental leave policies. Single parents are now able to transfer up to 90 days of paid leave to other caregivers, while couples can transfer up to 45 days. The Swedish welfare state grants 480 days of paid leave per child, divided between parents, and allows parents to spend 30 days of this leave together in the child’s first year of life.

Taiwan is making significant strides in caring for the elderly by easing restrictions on hiring foreign home caregivers. Seniors aged 80 and older with long medical histories or disabilities will no longer have to undergo a functional assessment before hiring a foreign caregiver. These changes are expected to benefit around 55,000 people and underscore Taiwan’s commitment to its aging population. Given that Taiwan is one of the fastest-aging societies in the world, these proactive steps aim to ensure the well-being of its seniors.

In the UK, landlords are increasingly banning tenants from working from home. The charity Generation Rent has called on the new government to introduce legislation to stop this practice, as it puts tenants at risk of homelessness if they are unable to work from home.