According to the SEEPROS Manual, the concept of Social Welfare "includes any intervention on the part of public or private bodies which, in the absence of a simultaneous, reciprocal or individual agreement, has the objective of lightening the burden on households or individuals of a number of established risks or needs". The absence of an individual "agreement" implies that cover of the risk, contingency, or need, has to be done collectively, which excludes the costs which might arise from individual, private or household initiatives undertaken in their favour only. It is, therefore, a relatively broad definition of Social Welfare.

In contrast to other statistics dealing with social welfare, such as the International Office of Employment, which only includes action carried out by the entities belonging to Social Security System, the area of observation in the SEEPROS methodology is extended to all bodies, both public and private, which carry out social welfare policy in accordance with general definition requirements.

The section is completed by the list of risks and necessities referred to in the definition, defined as Functions. They are as follows: Illness / Healthcare / Invalidity / Old Age / Survivors / Family / Children, Unemployment, Housing, Social Exclusion not included elsewhere.