Expenditures on the elderly increased by SEK 15.0 billion, an increase of 2.6 percent between 2017 and 2018. Old age pension, which is the largest item of expenditure on old age, increased by SEK 9.9 billion, which corresponds to 2.3 percent.

Health care

Expenditures on health and medical care increased by SEK 19.2 billion, which corresponds to roughly 5.6 percent. Expenditures on both inpatient and outpatient care increased. Inpatient care increased by SEK 6.1 billion, which corresponds to 5.5 percent more than last year. A major part of outpatient care refers to other direct provision, which increased by SEK 8.5 billion, which corresponds to 6.2 percent. Expenditures on paid sick leave increased by SEK 2.0 billion in the same period.

Disabillity

In 2018, expenditures on disability increased by SEK 3.6 billion, which corresponds to 2.8 percent. The item comprising assistance in carrying out daily tasks increased by SEK 2.1 billion, which corresponds to 5.7 percent, in 2018, while accommodation increased by SEK 2.2 billion, which corresponds to 8.4 percent. Cash benefits in the form of disability pension continued to decrease; in 2018 this decrease amounted to SEK 1.8 billion.

Family/Children

Expenditures on family and children increased by SEK 9.6 billion, corresponding to an increase of 7.3 percent between 2017 and 2018. Family or child allowance accounted for the largest increase, SEK 4.3 billion, which corresponded to an increase of 18.2 percent. Child allowance was increased by SEK 200 per child on 1 March 2018. Study allowance was also increased by the same amount.

Social exclusion

Expenditures on other social exclusion continued to decrease in 2018. Expenditures also decreased in 2017, following two years of relatively large increases due to a high level of immigration. The decrease in 2018 was mainly related to decreased expenditures on accommodation as a result of fewer asylum seekers. Between 2017 and 2018, expenditures on accommodation decreased by SEK 5.1 billion, which corresponds to roughly 35 percent. Total expenditures on social exclusion decreased by SEK 9.4 billion, which corresponds to approximately 19 percent.

International comparisons

In the early 1990s, Sweden had the highest level of social protection expenditure in relation to GDP compared with other countries in the EU. In recent years, Sweden’s expenditures are just below the EU average. In 2017, France had the highest level of expenditure on social protection as a share of GDP, at 34.1 percent. Denmark and Finland had the second and third highest levels of expenditure on social protection, at 32.2 percent and 30.6 percent of GDP respectively. Romania was the EU country with the smallest share, 14.4 percent. Latvia had the second lowest share, at 14.9 percent. These were the only EU countries below 15 percent.

The different taxation regulations pose a major problem for international comparisons. Some countries regulate taxes on certain benefits, while others do not. In addition, some benefits in certain countries consist of tax deductions, while other countries pay the benefit directly. Slightly more than half of the social protection benefits in Sweden are cash benefits. Most of these cash benefits are taxable. If taxation is taken into account, the percentage of GDP from benefits in 2018, excluding administration costs, fell from 27.7 percent including tax to 24.5 percent excluding tax.

Revisions to previously published data

In September 2019, the National Accounts published updated figures for 1993-2018 as a result of a benchmark revision. Benchmark revisions are conducted by National Accounts every five years. These updates have affected the social protection statistics for year 2000-2018. The revision affects social protection expenditure in relation to GDP for the entire series.