Per-capita net expenditure on municipal health and social sector 2707 euros

18.02.2009

In 2007, total operating expenditure on the current finances of municipalities stood at 5695 euros per capita. On average, 54 per cent of this went to the municipal health and social sector; 63 per cent when calculated based on net expenditure.

In the whole country, the per-capita net expenditure on the municipal health and social sector in 2007 was 2707 euros on average. In 1993, the net expenditure was 2190 euros, adjusted to the 2007 price level, which translates into a 24 per cent growth in real terms.

Health care accounted for about 50 per cent of total health and social sector expenditure, that is, its proportion has remained at the same level since 1993 (the earliest comparable data available). While the proportion of child day care has dropped between 1993 and 2007, the proportion of care and services for older people has increased, mainly due to a demographic change. Between 1993 and 2007, the number of children under school age in Finland decreased from 451,000 to 406,000, whereas the over-75 age group increased from 292,000 to 413,000.

The expenditure on the health and social sector of the Kainuu region in northern Finland is not comparable with the rest of the country, since the joint municipal board of Kainuu is responsible for a significant part of the health and social services in the area. The same applies to municipalities in Ahvenanmaa, since the provision of health care in Ahvenanmaa is under the responsibility of the provincial government.

More information:
Esa Arajärvi, Development Manager, tel. +358 20 610 7355, e-mail: firstname.lastname@thl.fi

Figure 1. Net expenditure of municipal social and health care departments, euros per capita, by municipality in 2007

Figure 2. Net expenditure of municipal social and health care departments, euros per capita, in the whole country in 1993-2007