French departments allocated €47,8 billion to social assistance in 2024, representing a 4,5% year-on-year increase, according to a study published by the Drees. This rise is driven by all major spending categories, particularly child welfare, services for the elderly, and services for people with disabilities.
Child welfare represents the largest expenditure item at €11,7 billion, an increase of 6,7%. However, this trend masks significant regional disparities, with some departments recording increases well above the national average.
Increases across all spending categories
Spending on services for people with disabilities reached €10,9 billion, an increase of 6,2%, primarily due to the cost of residential care and the rise in home care services. Spending on services for the elderly amounted to €9,2 billion, up 4,1%, driven in particular by the increase in the number of beneficiaries and wage increases in home care services.
Conversely, spending related to the active solidarity income and the overseas solidarity income increased more moderately, reaching €11,5 billion, representing a rise of 1,3%. This increase should be viewed in context, as some expenses are now covered by the State in certain local authorities.
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