Social expenditure-to-GDP ratio, social expenditure and financing

Social expenditure-to-GDP ratio
Share of social expenditure in gross domestic product (GDP) 2021
32.9 %
Sunk 1.0 percentage points to 2020
Social expenditure
Year 2021
133.8 bn Euro
Gone up 3.4 % to 2020
Net social benefits
Ratio to social benefits (gross) 2020
90.2 %
Gone up 0,04 percentag points to 2019

Expenditure and receipts (financing) of social protection are calculated according to ESSPROS (European System of integrated Social Protection Statistics) within the EU. Social protection encompasses all interventions from public or private bodies to relieve households and individuals of the burden of a defined set of risks or needs, if defined requirements are fulfilled. Social (protection) expenditure is primarily expenditure on social benefits (unemployment benefit, family allowance, pensions etc.). Life insurances, private payments for care costs, educational expenditure and tax redistributions without a social security component are excluded from the scope of social protection according to ESSPROS. Net social benefits are compiled by deducting wage tax and social contributions.

Data and further information on social protection at EU and EU Member State level is published on the Eurostat-website. More information on the methodology can be found in the ESSPROS manual.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, European System of Integrated Social Statistics (ESSPROS). – Social expenditure-to-GDP ratio: Social expenditure expressed as a proportion or gross domestic product (GDP). – Social expenditure: total expenditure for social benefits, administration costs and other expenditure (e. g. interest). – Compiled on 1 December 2022.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, European System of Integrated Social Statistics (ESSPROS). – Other expenditure: administration costs and other (e. g. interest). – Compiled on 1 December 2022.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, European System of Integrated Social Statistics (ESSPROS). – Others: disability, survivors, housing and social exclusion. – Compiled on 21 July 2022.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, European System of Integrated Social Statistics (ESSPROS). Compiled on 01 December 2022. – Early retirement pension: Early retirement pension for long-term contribution payers, corridor pension, pension for long-term insured persons and heavy work pension. – Civil servants' pension: Civil servants of central government, state and local governmen above standard retirement age. – Other benefits: Disability pension (Occupational accident insurance), pension for health damage from maintenance for victims of fighting for a free Austria or of political persecution (Maintenance acts), special pension (Night and heavy work act), long-term care allowance (central government and Laender), long-term care allowance, care services (Laender und municipalities) etc.

S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA, European System of Integrated Social Statistics (ESSPROS). – Compiled on 11 January 2023.

Date PDF download
2022-08-12 file Social expenditure at new high in 2021
 174.6 KB

Social protection statistics sozialschutz@statistik.gv.at
General information service Phone: +43 1 711 28-7070
info@statistik.gv.at Available on weekdays from 9.00 am–4.00 pm
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