The OECD Social Expenditure Database (SOCX) on CD-ROM includes reliable, up-to-date and internationally comparable statistics on public and private social expenditure at programme level. SOCX therefore is a unique tool for monitoring trends in aggregate social expenditure and analysing changes in its composition. It covers 29 OECD countries for the period 1980-1998 (and until 1999 for eight countries).

Because countries have intensively revised their national systems since 1990, the generalisation of the SNA93 (System of National Accounts 1993) has been introduced for GDP series and the conversion in euro is now being used in this edition of SOCX. In addition, data are now available for the Slovak Republic.

The main social policy areas covered include: old age benefits, disability benefits, occupational injury and disease benefits, sickness benefits, services for the elderly and disabled, survivors benefits, family cash benefits, active labour market programmes, unemployment benefits, public expenditure on health, public expenditure on housing and other contingencies.  Data are presented in a cross-country comparable table according to a standardised list of benefit areas, and in country tables according to country-specific programmes.  Data are available in both US dollars and national currency values. 

The database is presented using the Windows™-based Beyond 20/20™  statistical browser which allows the user to select, view, download, and graph the data. Technical documentation is included in Acrobat™ format.

Also available on line at www.sourceoecd.org.