Social benefits have risen sharply in the EU: which countries have the highest rates?

In 2024, European Union countries invested record amounts in social support for citizens, significantly increasing spending on pension programmes, healthcare and family assistance. Growth in social payments was recorded in all EU countries, but the gap between the leaders and the countries with the lowest figures remains significant. Find out where social protection spending is highest and which countries have shown the most rapid growth

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In 2024, European Union countries significantly increased their spending on social benefits, which rose by 6.9% compared to 2023 and reached a record €4.9 trillion. This is according to data from Eurostat, which emphasises that social support remains a key priority for most EU countries amid inflation, economic uncertainty and an ageing population.

According to statistics, social protection expenditure accounted for 27.3% of EU GDP, 0.6 percentage points higher than a year earlier. This category includes pensions, sickness and disability benefits, family allowances, unemployment benefits, housing subsidies and other types of support programmes.

Which EU countries have the highest social spending?

The leaders in the ranking are countries with traditionally strong social policy models:

▪️ Finland — 32.5% of GDP

▪️ France — 31.9% of GDP

▪️ Austria — 31.8% of GDP

These countries invest heavily in pensions, health insurance and social protection programmes, ensuring high standards of social security.

The lowest figures are recorded in countries with a more liberal economic model or rapid economic growth:

▪️ Ireland — 12.4% of GDP

▪️ Malta — 13.4% of GDP

▪️ Hungary — 16.6% of GDP

However, even here, there is an increase in spending, confirming the general trend towards greater social support in the EU.

What is most of the money spent on?

The largest items of expenditure are distributed as follows:

▪️ old-age benefits — €2.044 trillion (41.5%)

▪️ sickness and health benefits — €1.463 trillion (29.7%)

The high expenditure is explained by an ageing population, rising healthcare costs and increased life expectancy.

Other categories include support for people with disabilities, payments to families with children, assistance in the event of loss of a breadwinner, unemployment benefits and social programmes aimed at combating isolation and poverty.

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Where are social payments growing the fastest?

In 2024, all EU countries recorded an increase in social spending, but the rates vary greatly.

The largest increases:

▪️ Estonia — +19.5%

▪️ Croatia — +17.8%

▪️ Romania — +17.5%

The growth is linked to increases in pensions, the expansion of social programmes and higher wages in the public sector.

The smallest increase:

▪️ Greece — +3.2%

▪️ Sweden — +3.9%

▪️ Italy and Denmark — +4.3%

Here, the dynamics are restrained due to budget constraints or already very high levels of social spending, which are difficult to increase rapidly.

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