Links and differences between social protection statistics (ESSPROS) and national accounts — Methodological aspects and conceptual bridge tables — 2021 edition - Products Statistical working papers

This working paper systematically compares the methodology of social protection statistics (ESSPROS) with the national accounts methodology. Consistency between social protection and macroeconomic indicators is very important for users in various contexts, including policy making and monitoring. Comparability of aggregates requires taking into accounts the impact of differences in definitions, coverage and accounting approaches. For social protection statistics, this concerns mainly social benefits and social contributions, for which national accounts provide data according to their own general definitions and classifications and ESSPROS statistics give detailed breakdowns on various additional characteristics. In ESSPROS, social protection expenditure covers interventions providing social benefits associated with sickness and healthcare, disability, old age, survivors, family/children, unemployment, housing and social exclusion not elsewhere classified. Social protection benefits include pensions and other benefits. In this working paper, correspondences between the respective definitions and classifications are established and presented together with the explanation of the main reasons for deviations. ‘Bridge tables’ are used to guide readers into social protection classifications and terminology, compare them with those used in national accounts and analyse in more detail links and differences for the most important social protection transactions, such as social benefits and contributions.