Denmark Slashes Pay for Mentally Ill Offenders

Frederikke Høye

December 11, 2025
9:54 am

The Danish government is moving forward with a new law that significantly reduces income for forensic psychiatric patients, sparking widespread criticism from professionals and politicians who warn it will worsen treatment outcomes and increase relapse risks.

Major Pay Cut for Forensic Psychiatric Patients

As of January 2026, individuals sentenced to treatment in Denmark’s forensic psychiatric system will see their monthly income drop sharply from about 13,800 kroner to just 1,725 kroner. The law, supported by a broad political majority, aims to align the financial rights of forensic psychiatric patients with those of regular prisoners.

According to the Ministry of Employment, the state should not cover both housing and living costs while also paying out social benefits like early retirement pensions to people under psychiatric sentences. The government argues that such payments are inconsistent with how Denmark’s welfare system treats convicted offenders.

Part of a Larger Reform Effort

The new legislation follows a 2023 case that drew public attention when a man convicted of double murder received an early retirement pension while institutionalized in a secure psychiatric ward. Lawmakers decided that this situation exposed a gap in the system, leading to the reform now moving through Parliament.

Forensic psychiatric sentences are given when someone commits a crime while mentally unfit to stand trial. There are three main types: compulsory hospitalization, mandatory treatment, and outpatient treatment. Currently, around 1,600 people in Denmark fall under these categories, including 300 with compulsory hospitalization orders and 1,300 receiving treatment sentences.

Critics note that these patients often require long-term support, not punishment. They argue the law blurs the line between treatment and incarceration.

Experts Warn of Negative Consequences

A coalition of 12 organizations—including the Danish Psychiatric Society and the national patient advocacy group—has urged the government to withdraw the proposal. Their letter to the ministers of employment and health stated that cutting financial support could harm patients’ recovery, increase hospital stays, and raise the risk of future offenses.

Professional groups also warned that stripping patients of most of their income could heighten tensions in psychiatric wards and lead to more aggression, threats, and use of coercive measures by staff.

Danske Regioner, representing Denmark’s five regional health authorities, added that the new law might actually worsen illnesses for many patients. It also pointed out that prisoners working in correctional institutions earn more—about 3,159 kroner monthly—than what forensic psychiatric patients will receive under the new amendment.

Debate Over Fairness and Rehabilitation

While the government insists the law is a matter of economic fairness, opponents from several opposition parties say it goes against the principle that mentally ill offenders should receive care, not punishment. Parties such as the Socialist People’s Party and the Alternative argue that treating psychiatric and physical illnesses equally means ensuring patients in both systems receive proper support.

Alternative’s Karin Liltorp has proposed raising the monthly allowance for forensic psychiatric patients to 4,000 kroner to help them maintain basic living arrangements and prevent homelessness during long hospitalizations. However, the employment minister rejected the idea, saying the government finds it unreasonable for convicted patients in treatment facilities to receive more personal spending money than regular psychiatric inpatients.

Everyday Impact on Patients

For patients like Lars, currently living in a secure open ward in the Capital Region, the financial hit feels devastating. Living on 1,725 kroner per month will barely cover essentials such as insurance, phone bills, and storage fees. Simple things like a coffee on leave or saving for future housing will be nearly impossible.

At the same time, the law is expected to generate about 153 million kroner in annual state savings, a goal critics call a shortsighted economic gain at the expense of rehabilitation.

For anyone interested in how healthcare functions for residents and visitors, Denmark’s health system—including psychiatric care—is detailed in the Danish healthcare system.

Looking Ahead

Even though the government is expected to pass the reform with majority backing, the debate over how Denmark treats its most vulnerable offenders continues. Professionals, patient organizations, and opposition parties all agree on one thing: policies that affect mental health and rehabilitation must balance justice with humanity.