Social security revenues rose 9.1% to reach EUR 28,387.7 million through October, while expenditures fell 0.5% to EUR 25,030.1 million, according to the summary of the General Budget Directorate (DGO).
In a statement, the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security states that, “excluding the extraordinary covid measures and unemployment benefits, expenditure increased by €1,337.1 million compared to the same period of the previous year (+4, 8%)”.
According to the cabinet of Minister Ana Mendes Godinho, there were increases in expenditure on various social benefits, namely pensions and allowances (7.8% more to 15,614.8 million euros), including the exceptional allowance for pensioners.
Sickness benefit expenditure rose 9.3% year-on-year to €695.5 million.
The ministry also notes the payment of extraordinary support of 125 euros to holders of income and social benefits and support of 50 euros per dependent, as part of measures to mitigate the impact of inflation, for a total amount of 155.9 million euros.
In turn, expenditure on exceptional support for the most vulnerable until October amounted to EUR 121.1 million and expenditure on the new guarantee support for children amounted to EUR 16.4 million.
The agency also refers to the decrease in expenditure recorded until October with unemployment benefits of 21% compared to the same period, to 1,076.3 million euros.
In terms of revenue, Ana Mendes Godinho’s ministry says the 9.1% increase to October is related to contributions and contributions rose 12% year-on-year to €17,943.6 million.
In terms of measures related to covid-19, the impact on social security amounted to 592.7 million euros, “resulting in a reduction in expenditure of 1,178.2 million euros compared to the same period last year”, it can be read in the statement.
The loss of premium income associated with the exemption from payment of the Single Social Tax (TSU) amounts to EUR 7.9 million and the other measures with an impact on income do not lead to a loss of effective income, but to a postponement of it, so the social security is also busy recovering these amounts through installment plans”, the cabinet explains.
On the expenditure side, prophylactic isolation was the measure with the largest impact, amounting to EUR 243.0 million, followed by expenditure on the extraordinary stimulus to normalize business activity, totaling EUR 129 million, with extraordinary support to the income of employees, which amounted to 76 million euros. million euros and with sick pay rising to 66.2 million euros.
According to the ministry, the support for the gradual resumption of activity, the grandson and son’s social assistance benefit and the simplified ‘dismissal’ “had a significant impact amounting to EUR 44.6 million, EUR 15.3 million and EUR 9.3 million respectively ” .
The ministry also mentions that the expenses with the payment of the special assistance to the family amounted to 8.1 million euros until October.
Source: DN
