Social protection expenditure and financing
Preliminary data for 2023 published
Preliminary data on the social protection expenditure are published in October of the year following the statistical year.
Social protection expenditure and financing 2022
Finland's social protection expenditure totalled EUR 80 billion in 2022. In current prices, the expenditure increased EUR 2 billion. The decrease in this expenditure was 4 per cent in real terms from the year 2021. Inflation and the COVID-19 epidemic and therefore temporary changes in social protection in 2020 and 2021 affected the reduction in expenditure in the year 2022.
In real prices, the greatest relative change in the 2022 social protection expenditure compared to the previous year took place in unemployment security expenditure, which declined by 24 per cent (EUR -1 291 million) from the year 2021. The reason behind the change in 2022 is the recovery of the employment situation after the wave of unemployment and redundancies caused by the COVID-19 epidemic (in 2020, unemployment security expenditure increased by 35%, in 2021, unemployment security expenditure decreased by 7%).
Old-age-related expenditure accounted for the greatest share of social protection expenditure (43%). Old-age-related expenditure totalled EUR 34 billion (EUR 33 billion in the previous year). The decrease in this expenditure was about 3 per cent in real terms from the year 2021. The second greatest share of social protection expenditure accounted for the main category Sickness and health (23%). Sickness and health related expenditure totalled EUR 19 billion (EUR 18 billion in the previous year). The decrease in this expenditure was about 2 per cent in real terms from the year 2021.
In 2022, the combined share of central and local government funding for social protection expenditure remained unchanged at 49.2%. Employers’ share of financing was 30.9% (30.6% in the previous year). The contribution of the insured fell at 14.8% (15.2% in the previous year). 5% of the financing was covered by income from different social protection funds (5% in the previous year).
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Background information
Description of statistics
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) annually collects data on social protection expenditure and its financing based on the costs and financing of social activities by the central government, municipalities, non-profit associations, and other organisations. The data are reported at the national level.
Key data sources for the statistics on social protection expenditure and financing are Kelasto statistical database of the Social Insurance Institution (Kela), Finnish Centre for Pensions (statistical reports and statistical database), Statistical Finland (Local government finances, National Accounts), Financial Supervisory Authority and State Treasury.
Data on social protection expenditure and financing are also retrieved from many other organisations' annual accounts and similar data sources.
Source
Sosiaaliturvan menot ja rahoitus 2022
Utgifter för det sociala skyddet samt utgifternas financienring 2022
Social protection expenditure and financing 2022
Statistical report 8/2024, 20th February 2024
Official Statistics of Finland, Social protection expenditure and financing. THL. 
More information
Tuuli Puroharju
Tel. +358 29 524 7042
E-mail address: [email protected]
ESSPROS Manual and user guidelines
Eurostat - European statistics
Social protection statistics in european countries
OECD Social Expenditure Database
Data about social protection expenditure and financing in OECD countries
Nordic Social Statistical Committee (NOSOSCO)
Social protection statistics in nordic countries