In 2008 gross expenditure on social protection in EU-27 accounted for 26.4% of GDP

This 'Statistics in Focus' describes and analyses the expenditure and the receipts of social protection in different European countries. In 2008, social protection expenditure accounted for 26.4% of GDP in the EU27. This average masks high disparities between countries. Expenditure on old-age and survivors' benefits account for a large part of social benefits in most countries. Different countries have markedly different systems for financing social protection.