\n<\/p>\n
Social protection <\/b>spending is by far the biggest outgoing for the government, accounting for more than a quarter of all its expenditure. <\/p>\n
This includes the cost of benefits <\/b>paid to pensioners as well those for working-age people.<\/p>\n
Before the general election was announced, the OBR predicted spending on social protection would rise to \u00a3371bn in 2024-25.<\/p>\n
In July, the government said it would restrict the Winter Fuel Payment<\/a> to pensioners receiving means-tested benefits, which it hopes will save around \u00a31.5bn a year. <\/p>\n At the same time, the new full state pension is set to rise by \u00a3460 a year from April 2025<\/a>, under the “triple lock” arrangement, which guarantees that it keeps pace with earnings and inflation. <\/p>\n About a fifth of government spending goes on health. <\/b><\/p>\n Health spending has been rising for decades, because of the growing cost of looking after the UK’s ageing population, and increased spending on treatments, external<\/span><\/a>. The OBR forecast the health spending bill would be \u00a3251bn in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n