Social Security Benefits Expenditure 

Between January and June 2023, spending on Social Security Benefits totalled €680.6 million, 8.4 per cent higher than the previous year. Higher expenditure was reported for both Contributory (€34.9 million) and Non-Contributory Benefits (€17.6 million) (Table 1).

Government spending towards Contributory Benefits amounted to €548.5 million, a 6.8 per cent rise from 2022. Pensions in respect of Retirement recorded the largest increase of €19.9 million, a result of 1,134 more persons in receipt of the Two-Thirds Pension. Further increases were registered under Contributory Bonus (€8.4 million) and Pensions in respect of Widowhood (€6.7 million). The rise in outlay was marginally offset by a drop of €0.1 million under Other Benefits (Table 2).

By the end of June 2023, €132.1 million went towards Non-Contributory Benefits, a 15.3 per cent increase in comparison to the previous year. All benefit categories registered increases, with the main ones recorded under Total In-Work Benefit (€4.3 million), Child Allowance (€2.9 million) and Total Supplementary Allowance (€2.9 million) (Table 3).

In comparison to 2022, an additional €27.4 million was spent on social security benefits between April and June 2023, amounting to €321.4 million. Contributory expenditure rose by €19.0 million, with the largest increase registered under Pensions in respect of Retirement (€11.1 million). Furthermore, spending towards Non-Contributory Benefits increased by €8.4 million, with the largest growths recorded under Total In-Work Benefit (€2.0 million), Total Supplementary Allowance (€1.7 million) and Child Allowance (€1.6 million) (Tables 4 and 5). 

Social Security Beneficiaries

During the first six months of 2023, the largest number of Contributory beneficiaries was recorded under the Two-Thirds Pension (57,750). The same benefit reported the highest increase among recipients, with 1,134 additional pensioners when compared to 2022. On the other hand, the biggest drop in recipients was registered under Sickness Benefit (2,462) (Table 2).

Children’s Allowance reported the highest number of Non-Contributory recipients in the first half of 2023, with 43,041 families in receipt of the benefit. In-Work Benefit recorded the largest increase in beneficiaries at 16,494, while the largest decline in recipients was witnessed under Sickness Assistance (396) (Table 3).

In the second quarter, the Two-Thirds Pension (57,071) and Children’s Allowance (42,072) were the most received Contributory and Non-Contributory Benefits, respectively (Tables 4 and 5).