The government spent 4.9 per cent more on social security in the first three months of this year when compared to the previous one, official figures show.

National Office of Statistics numbers reveal the €9.7 million increase was mainly due to an increase in spending on contributory benefits, which were up by €10.7 million. A €0.6 million decrease in non-contributory benefits expenditure offset that increase slightly.

Retirement pensions spending was up by €7 million, with widowhood pensions also up by €1.6 million. Invalidity pension spending was down by €0.2 million. Spending on contributory bonuses rose by €2.2 million.

A €1.3 million decline in social assistance, followed by drops in outlay for Child Allowance (€0.3 million) and Non-Contributory Bonus (€0.1 million) were the main reasons for a 1.4 per cent decrease in non-contributory benefits.

Conversely, a rise in outlay was recorded under Disability Pension/Allowance (€0.5 million), Old Age Pension (€0.1 million) and Supplementary Allowance (€0.1 million)

Two-thirds pension beneficiaries continued to be the largest cohort of social security beneficiaries (42,786). In comparison to the corresponding quarter of 2015, the largest increase in benefi ciaries was also registered under the two-
thirds pension (2,010), while unemployment benefit registered the highest decline in beneficiaries (down by 322)

Non-contributory benefits mainly consisted of childrens allowance (40,615) and
supplementary allowance (22,969) recipients. The largest rise in beneficiaries was recorded under unemployment assistance taper with 1,262 more persons while unemployment assistance registered the largest drop with 1,120 less recipients.