Like the other Nordic countries, Norway has a comprehensive and ambitious welfare state model. The welfare systems are designed to ensure security, equality, social equalization, and a minimum standard of living for all citizens. The welfare scheme contributes to reducing social differences and creates basic security for individuals, families and vulnerable groups. Safe societies and relatively small disparities between people are important for maintaining interpersonal trust and trust in political institutions. These are essential prerequisites for democracy and participation in communal life, and welfare schemes are a key element in this. Over the years, Fafo has built up an extensive research agenda on the organization of welfare services, welfare policy development and studies of living conditions in Norwegian society. We conduct research on inclusion and participation in working life and in other areas of social scientific enquiry, including a research portfolio devoted to senior employees’ policy and pension schemes. Our research also covers a broad and complex understanding of the conditions of vulnerable groups. Fafo contributes to knowledge development about various ways in which welfare services and welfare schemes can be maintained while remaining efficient, of high quality and run within a realistic financial framework. Fafo has a solid tradition for research on the encounters between users and the welfare services, and how social policy instruments affect people’s living conditions and quality of life. Our research questions are often practical and empirically oriented.