Expenditure on social services in the A.C. of the Basque Country reached the figure of 1,196 million euros in 2004, 11.5% more than the year before, which represented 2.2% of the Basque GDP, according to Eustat data. Average expenditure per inhabitant came to 562 euros, 393 of which came from public funds.

By provinces, the increase in expenditure was 8% in Álava, 13% in Bizkaia and 11% in Gipuzkoa. In terms of per capita, Álava maintained higher expenditure than the rest, with an average of 686 euros per inhabitant, compared to 547 for Gipuzkoa and 482 for Bizkaia.

The effort made by the different public administrations came to 838 million euros, 70% of expenditure, while the remaining 30% came from the private sector. 169 million euros were contributed by user in exchange for services received and represented 14% of current expenditure.

The sector employed 2.2% of all employees

20,600 people were directly employed in the group of social services, 2.2% of employees, 68% of which were women. If, in addition, we take into account the existence of subcontracted direct care personnel, whose dedication is equivalent to 4,400 jobs in full dedication, the employment increases by 21%. Half of the subcontracted personnel work in the home aid service.

Social services also involved an important volume of voluntary workers, which in 2004 came to 15,608 persons, 13.0% more than the year before, and who worked selflessly in the sector.

Expenditure earmarked to the whole of the population rose by 18%

Bearing in mind the population groups at which the social services are aimed, care for the general population and care for the elderly stand out as areas to which a larger quantity of resources must be earmarked, as between the two of them they account for 68% of expenditure.

Resources earmarked for the whole of the population represented 38% of total expenditure. The amount is important as is the increase in transfers to families, where we find the programmes of Basic Income, with 125 million euros (+16%) and other transfers, with 62 million euros (+67%), mainly for direct economic aid for children and aid for the victims of the Franco regime.

Social services attended to 9% of persons aged 65 and over

Residential services, day care centres and home care constituted the main areas of action by the social services for the elderly, an ever growing population groups, growing older and ever more dependant.

With an offer of 14,430 places at residences and community dwellings, a coverage of 3.7 places for every 100 persons aged 65 and over was reached, a similar figure to that for the whole of the State. Over the last ten years there has been an increase in the offer with an annual rate of 4% (+4,792 places). 72% of these places were offered by the Public Administration, 41% belonging to the public sector and the remaining 31% at private subsidized places.

Increase in the offer of alternatives directed at ageing at home

608 places were available at temporary stay centres and tutored apartments, 42% more than in 2003. Furthermore, day centres, with 2,642 places, multiplied their offer of places by four over the last decade (14% inter-annual).

The elderly, with a total of 17,800 attended in their own home (5 out of every 100 elderly), constituted 90% of home aid service users. During the last ten years there has been an increase in the number of users of this service to an annual average of 8%.

The expenditure for this service came to 57.8 million euros (15% more than the year before) which represents an average annual cost of 3,036 euros per user and was funded mostly by the public sector (90%).