Government spending on social security benefits up by €15.5 million

The government spent €223.9 million on social security benefits between January and March 2018, an increase of 7.4% or almost €15.5 million more than in the same period last year.

Contributory social security benefits rose by €10.4 million in the first three months this year, with two-thirds pensioners accounting for the highest share of beneficiaries in this area. In excess of 47,000 persons obtained such a pension during this period, more than five-times higher than the second largest share of contributory beneficiaries reported by the sickness benefit, which stands at more than 9,000 people.

There were 2,300 more two-thirds pensioners and 1,400 more sickness beneficiaries in the first quarter this year than during the same period last year.

The number of people receiving a retirement pension dropped, however, with 561 less persons in the first three months of 2018 than in the equivalent period in 2017.

Non-contributory benefits also rose, with an almost 12% rise seen in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 2017. Children’s allowance formed the largest share of such beneficiaries, with 40,905 recipients, followed by supplementary assistance, with 23,567.