Someone forces you to beg, in public or crowded places. 

You don’t receive all the earnings from your begging.

Somebody hurts or threatens you if you don’t give them the full amount.

Somebody hurts or threatens you if you refuse to beg for them.

Somebody injures you so you look like you need medical help, to increase the chance of getting money from passers-by.

Are you or somebody you know forced to beg? Contact 112 and get help.

Contact your service centre to get social support.

Municipal authorities are obliged to provide their residents with the necessary support to ensure that they can sustain themselves. A resident of the municipality is any person who is legally domiciled in the municipality, regardless of whether they are an Icelandic citizen or a foreign national. However, receiving financial support may affect your application for a residence permit or citizenship since you have to have a secure means of support (and financial support does not count).

Children and their families can receive a wide range of support from social and welfare services in their municipality. For example, due to social conditions, stress, illness, disability and violence. You can get social advice on finances, housing, parenting, divorce, custody and visitation issues, adoptions and more.

Most local authorities offer support to families who need more help, such as visiting services, help with housekeeping, connection with other service providers, for example school authorities and health institutions. These resources often go by various names but fall under the welfare services of each municipality.

In Reykjavík there are 4 service centres for different parts of the city. To get counselling or support, you can make an appointment for an interview with a counsellor at your centre by phone or email. See the centres. You can also call the Reykjavík City phone service at 411 1111 to get more information. It is open there from 8:20 am to 4:15 pm.

Íslenska, English, polski. Language- and sign language interpretation.

Social services are provided by municipalities to their residents. Those services include financial assistance, support for disabled and senior citizens, support for people who suffer abuse and social counselling, to name a few.

The Multicultural Center provides immigrants with information about their rights.

The Multicultural Information Centre gives immigrants in Iceland information on many aspects of everyday life and administration in this country. Their aim is to enable every individual to become an active member of Icelandic society, no matter the background or where they come from. MCC also provide institutions, companies and associations with advice and information relating to immigrant issues. You can find a lot of information on their website, for example:

You can get a language interpreter when you talk to counsellers at the Multicultural Centre. Their place is wheelchair accessible, but it's best to notify before if you need it. They don't offer sign language interpretation.

The Multicultural Information Centre is located at Árnagata 2-4 in Ísafjörður, but they service the whole country. Their offices are open on weekdays from 9 am to 16 pm. You can either call them: 450 3090, or send an email to mcc@mcc.is.

Language interpretation. No sign language.

Immigrants in Iceland can get information about their rights and obligations at the Multicultural Centre.

The Icelandic Human Rights Centre helps immigrants who need legal counseling. 

The Centre is an independent organization that works to advance human rights in Iceland. If you are an immigrant and need legal counsel because of abuse, you can contact a counselor at the Icelandic Human Rights Centre.

The building is wheelchair accessible. You can request a sign language interpreter for the hearing impaired or language interpreter if you need. You must book an interview in advance.

The Centre is located at Túngata 14 and is open on Tuesday’s from 2 pm to 7 pm and on Friday’s from 9 am to 2 pm. You must book a time in advance by calling 552 2720 or sending an email to info@humanrights.is.

Language interpreters and sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired.

At the Icelandic Human Rights Centre, immigrants can get free legal counsel.

When someone forces another person to do things that are not part of their job, it is called domestic servitude and is one of the human trafficking manifestations.

It is human trafficking when someone forces another person to beg for money in public for their own benefit. 

Forced begging

What is forced begging?

Read more

Available support

Social support and services

Multicultural Information Centre

Icelandic Human Rights Centre

Domestic servitude