Is welfare support distributed evenly? Assessments from a field experiment with frontline workers in the Norwegian context

Norway is well known for its supportive welfare state. A well-functioning support system for people in need is part of the Norwegian identity. To maintain the importance of the welfare system, it is necessary that everyone is treated equally and fairly. In this study, we ask employees in the Norwegian welfare and labour administration and prospective social work students to categorise typical welfare applications. Using fictitious names that are either typically Norwegian or foreign-sounding, we randomise welfare requests. The results show that requests with a foreign-sounding name are less likely to receive a supportive response. However, the results differ largely, depending on the type of welfare request and between foreign groups. These differences have implications as they show that an important part of the Norwegian welfare system is less open to people with a foreign background. The findings can be applied to create awareness and help reduce discrimination in social work practice.