Government spending on social benefits rose by €15.3 million to €423.2 million in the first half of this year, data issued today shows.

The biggest increase was of €14.7 million for retirement pensions, followed by an increase of €2.5m in widows' pensions, in line with measures announced in the Budget. 

There was a €3.1 million decline in Social Assistance and a drop of just under €1m in children's allowance and invalidity pensions. 

During the first half of 2016, the largest cohort of Social Security Contributory Beneficiaries received the Two-Thirds Pension (43,893). The biggest decline was for Unemployment Benefit with 318 less recipients.

Non-Contributory Benefits mainly consisted of Children’s Allowance (41,589) and Supplementary Assistance (23,460) recipients. The largest rise in benefi ciaries was recorded under Unemployment Assistance Taper (1,094) while Unemployment Assistance registered the largest decline with 1,161 less recipients.

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