In 2021, EU countries spent an average of €777 per person on family benefits, up from €561 in 2011. Luxembourg, however, significantly exceeds this average, investing €3,611 per person in 2021. This amount is 4.6 times the European average and nearly 15 times more than Romania’s expenditure.
Following Luxembourg, Denmark offers the next most generous family policy, spending €1,858 per person annually, followed by Germany with €1,575. Belgium (€923) and France (€827) also surpass the European average. In contrast, the countries with the lowest spending on family benefits include Bulgaria (€161), Greece (€243), and Romania (€244), with Portugal also trailing at €272.
Eurostat notes that this figure is likely to overestimate the true level of expenditure per resident child, as a large proportion — over a quarter — of these benefits are provided to families of non-resident workers.
Overall, the EU spent €347 billion on family benefits in 2021, marking a 41% increase from the €247 billion spent in 2011.
Find out more about family life in Luxembourg in our Luxembourg Insider section.
