EU countries spent an average of €830 per person on family-related benefits in 2022, according to Eurostat. This includes spending on parental leave, tax breaks for families, child allowances, and other measures designed to support families in member states.
That figure represents a 46.7% increase over the past decade, rising from €566 in 2012. The EC published the information at its website on Monday 21 July 2025.
The highest per-person expenditure on family benefits in 2022 was recorded in Luxembourg (€3,789). That was followed by Denmark (€1,878) and Germany (€1,616). The lowest levels were reported in Bulgaria (€211), Greece (€264), and Cyprus (€277).
What the figures represent — and what they do not
Eurostat’s figures reflect spending by national governments, not direct funding from the European Union. While the EU does support family-related social projects through mechanisms such as the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), it does not provide direct payments to families.
The €830 average is calculated across each country’s entire population. This means it does not show how much support families actually receive. The data also does not account for national differences in policy design. These can include the balance between direct cash payments and services like subsidised childcare.
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