Annual Statistics Report 2021
- Published on: 17 August 2022
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
This is the thirty-ninth issue of the annual Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report prepared by the Department of Social Protection. The report outlines the statistical data behind the various services provided by the department. Readers’ views and comments on the report are welcome and should be addressed to statsunit@welfare.ie
The year 2021 saw the department continue the provision of working age income, working age employment and illness supports as part of the response to the public health restrictions due to COVID-19. As a result, expenditure by the department exceeded €30 billion for the second successive year.
The normal edition of the report is in Part I and relates to statistics on all social protection schemes for 2021 and earlier years. In the case of data relating to recipients and beneficiaries, the figures, unless otherwise stated, refer to December 31 each year. The Operational Activity section, on the other hand, refers to accumulated annual figures. Several tables, which provide a breakdown of recipients or beneficiaries by some characteristic such as number of dependants or age, are referred to as “estimated”. This means that the proportionate breakdown, which is considered to be a reliable estimate, was established at a date other than, but close to, December 31.
Part II covers COVID-19 related supports offered by the department. Note that the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme was administered by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners but subsidised by expenditure from the department’s accounts. In addition, the recipient numbers in this part of the report refer to accumulative annual figures.
