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    Social protection expenditure

    Total social protection expenditure
    851.6 bn DKK
    2024
    Gross cash benefits
    455.4 bn DKK
    2024

    How big is the expenditure on social benefits in Denmark? How is the distribution across old-age pensions, sickness benefits and housing benefits? And how much is privately funded? The social protection expenditure statistics give an overview of which benefits belong under which schemes and how these are funded.

    Explainer on…

    Transfers in cash or in kind from all public or private entities to households and individuals to relieve dem of the burden of a defined set of risks or needs.

    Social transfers in cash that do not require evidence of actual expenditure by recipients. Cash benefits can be paid as a lump sum or in regular intervals (week, month or quarter) such as sickness benefits, cash assistance and pension.

    Benefits that are granted in the form of goods and services and can be provided by way of reimbursement or directly. Reimbursements are benefits in the form of payments that reimburse the recipient in whole or in part for certified expenditure on specified goods and services. Directly provided benefits are goods and services granted without any pre-financing by the beneficiary such as treatment at hospitals and stay in nursing homes and other residental facilities.

    Prices or price level that applies to goods and services in the current period. The opposite of current prices is fixed prices.

    Selected statistics on Social protection expenditure

    This page shows selected popular statistics on the subject of Social protection expenditure. In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data and compile your own statistics.

    Development in social expenditure

    The figure shows how the total social expenditure has developed in Denmark in the past 10 years. ‘Total social expenditure’ covers benefits in cash and kind but also administration costs. The quantities are shown in current prices.
    In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data on Social expenditure (ESSPROS1)

    Cash benefits by function

    Here you can see cash benefits before (gross) and after (net) tax by function. ‘Old age’ includes old-age pension payments, among other things, while ‘Sickness and health care’ covers sickness benefits, for example.
    In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data on Social expenditure (ESSPROS1)
    HAVE YOU SEEN?
    Government economy
    The general government funds a large share of the social benefits. Gain an overall overview of the public sector's finances.
    HAVE YOU SEEN?
    Social expenditure in other countries
    How high is social expenditure in Denmark compared to other European countries? Make a comparison at Eurostat.

    Benefits in kind by function

    Here you can see, how many benefits in kind that are allocated to different functions. ‘Sickness and health care’ covers expenditure for the hospital system and public health insurance (general practitioners and specialists). ‘Housing’ covers housing benefits for the elderly, students, ect.
    In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data on Social expenditure (ESSPROS1)

    Sources of funding

    Here you can see how the social expenditure is financed. The funding from ’insured’ covers payments by employees and self-employed people, e.g. to unemployment insurance funds and pension companies. This will subsequently cover payments of unemployment benefits, pension, etc. ‘Net interest income’ covers the return from savings in pension companies, which thus becomes a part of the pension paid out.
    In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data on Social expenditure (ESSPROS2)

    On the statistics – documentation, sources and method

    Gain an overview of the purpose, contents and quality of the statistics. Learn about the data sources of the statistics, the contents of the statistics and how often they are published.

    See the documentation of statistics to learn more:

    Need more data on Social protection expenditure?

    You can search for more information in Statbank Denmark. Find more detailed information, e.g. on the expenditure on cash benefits, occupational injuries insurance and early retirement due to diability.

    Contact

    Marianne Ahle Møller
    Phone: +45 24 66 00 28