Benefits and healthcare account for more than half of government spending
Belgium's governments spend a total of 37.7 per cent of their budgets on social protection benefits and 14.8 per cent on healthcare, according to an overview for 2023 published on Thursday by the Institute for National Accounts (INA). This represents almost 160 billion euros out of a total of more than 317.5 billion euros.
Within social protection benefits, more than one euro in five was spent on pensions. That amounts to around 21.3 per cent, compared to 19.2 per cent in 2013 and 17.8 per cent in 2003. Spending on sickness and disability benefits has also increased, from 5.4 per cent in 2013 to 7 per cent last year. Unemployment benefits account for 2 per cent of total spending, less than half of what was spent in 2013.
Healthcare spending is also rising, accounting for 14.8 per cent of total spending last year. Alongside social protection, it accounts for more than half of all government spending in the country.
Economic affairs and administration
They are followed by economic affairs - which includes labour market policy, road infrastructure and public transport - and general administration. These two categories each account for 13 per cent of government spending. Spending on the latter category has been on a steady decline due to falling interest charges, according to the INA.
Spending on education accounts for 12 per cent of the total, followed by defence, public order and safety, housing and community services, environmental protection and recreation, culture and religion. Individually, these categories represent a very small fraction of the total, and spending on them has barely changed over the past decade.
Regional investments
The institute also analysed Belgium's public investment, which amounted to 17.4 billion euros in 2023. Most of this was spent on economic affairs, at 35 per cent), especially transport and basic research, and general administration, at 28 per cent.
The federal government made one fifth of public investment. Communities and regions spent half of the total, while local governments were responsible for more than a quarter. The INA statistics also confirm the typical cyclical pattern of increased investment at local government level in the two years before local elections.
© BELGA PHOTO KRISTOF VAN ACCOM
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