The Danish government is proposing a change to current regulations to allow vulnerable children and young people to access their child benefit payments without parental or guardian consent. This initiative aims to address situations where parental consent requirements prevent children in difficult circumstances from accessing funds they are entitled to.

Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Morten Bødskov stated that the proposed change is specifically targeted at children facing challenges such as homelessness, living with friends or relatives, or residing in crisis centers. Udbetaling Danmark can currently authorize direct payments to children and young people in certain cases, and this proposal seeks to expand those possibilities.

The municipality, in collaboration with Udbetaling Danmark, will be responsible for assessing which children should be granted the opportunity to open an account without parental consent. These accounts will be designed to be simple, providing access to entitled funds without the risk of overdraft or other complications. The goal is to prevent further problems for vulnerable youth.

Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen, a political spokesperson for SF, indicated broad support for the proposal within the Danish Parliament, emphasizing the unfairness of the current rules. She highlighted instances where vulnerable young people are forced to rely on guardians who may have abused or misused them, resulting in the funds ending up in the hands of unsuitable parents. The government plans to present the bill after the summer holidays, with hopes of implementing the rule change by January 1st.

While neither Morten Bødskov nor Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen could provide exact figures on the number of affected children, Bech-Nielsen emphasized that discussions with children’s organizations and Stenbroens Jurister have underscored the need for the change. Stenbroens Jurister, an organization providing legal assistance to vulnerable citizens, pointed out the practical difficulties children face in opening bank accounts despite existing legal provisions.

Director Maja Løvbjerg Hansen of Stenbroens Jurister shared an example of a 16-year-old client who faced significant delays in obtaining a bank account, ultimately leading to financial hardship and involvement in criminal activity. Stenbroens Jurister hopes the proposal will be broadened to allow anyone over the age of 15 to open an account without parental consent, noting that children and young people with part-time jobs often encounter difficulties in obtaining accounts.