Household payments for kindergarten, 15 January 2005, January

The introduction of a maximum fee in May 2004 resulted in narrowing the gap between public and private kindergarten fees. The Norwegian parliament's objective in introducing a revised payment system was to ensure a maximum fee and a discount policy in all kindergartens. The three main features of the new system are an annual maximum fee of NOK 30 250, a discount of at least 30 per cent for families with two children, and a 50 per cent discount for families with three or more children. Food costs can be charged on top of the monthly fee.

Higher fees for low income families

Average figures for public kindergartens in the period January 2004 to January 2005 show that families at higher income levels experienced lower fees, while families at lower income levels experienced higher fees. Families with one child paying the minimum fee were charged NOK 17 419 per year including food costs, while families with one child paying the maximum fee were charged NOK 30 844, an increase of 2.6 per cent and a decrease of 5.4 per cent respectively. Families with two children paying the minimum fee were charged NOK 29 497, while families paying the maximum fee were charged NOK 52 052, an increase of 3.9 per cent and a decrease of 3.6 per cent respectively.

In January 2005, the minimum monthly payment excluding food costs ranged from NOK 705 to NOK

2 750, while the maximum monthly payment ranged from NOK 2 650 to NOK 2 898. The large variations in minimum payments can be attributed to the income-graded payment system enforced by 31 per cent of the municipalities. It should be noted that in January 2005, two municipalities in the sample charged more than the set maximum fee, a decrease from 30 in January 2004.

Lower fees in private kindergartens

In January 2005, families with one child in a private kindergarten paid NOK 2 637 per month on average, excluding food. Agder and Rogaland counties had the highest maximum monthly payment of NOK 2 727. The annual payment for one child was NOK 30 417 on average, a 7.1 per cent decrease from January 2004 to January 2005. Western Norway had the largest decrease in the annual fee at 8.6 per cent, while Northern Norway had the smallest decrease. A marked reduction in the number of private kindergartens charging more than the maximum fee was recorded, from 108 in January 2004 to 17 in January 2005.