European Union countries spent a total of €4.6 trillion on social protection benefits in 2023.
According to figures published by Eurostat on Tuesday, nearly half of this spending (46.9%) went towards old-age and survivors’ functions, a category that mainly covers pensions.
Sickness and health care benefits made up the second largest share at 29.6%.
Family and children’s benefits accounted for 8.7% of the total, followed by disability benefits at 7.1%.
Eurostat's data shows that unemployment benefits represented 3.9% of EU social protection expenditure, social exclusion benefits such as support for people at risk of poverty were 2.5%, and housing benefits made up 1.4%.
Breakdown of payments and national differences
Eurostat notes that most social protection spending (64.7%) was provided as cash payments.
Of this, 58.7% were non-means-tested, meaning they were available to all members of particular groups regardless of income, while 6% were means-tested.
The remaining 35.3% was delivered as in-kind support, such as direct provision of goods or services, mostly non-means-tested.
The share of cash benefits varied across EU countries.
Italy (76.4%), Greece (75.9%), and Poland (71.4%) recorded the highest shares of cash payments.
In comparison, Sweden (51.6%), Ireland (52.7%), and Malta (55.4%) had the lowest proportions of cash benefits, relying more heavily on in-kind support.
