Expenditure

2024 expenditure by task area

Shares in %

Development of 2024 expenditure

in CHF bn and % of GDP

Note: data for 2025 to 2028 in accordance with 2025 federal decree with integrated task and financial plan for 2026 to 2028

Expenditure rose by 4.0% year on year. As nominal GDP grew by 2.2%, the Confederation's expenditure ratio edged up from 10.1% to 10.2% of GDP. The expenditure ratio is a rough indicator of the extent of Confederation's activities relative to the overall economy.

Development of selected 2024 expenditure items by task area

in CHF mn and %

In 2024, total expenditure amounted to 84.3 billion, representing an increase of 4% (+3.3 bn) on the previous year. For the fifth year in succession, the Confederation incurred billions in extraordinary expenditure. Extraordinary expenditure was once again recognized for people from Ukraine seeking protection (global lump sum to the cantons), and amounted to 1.4 billion (2023: 1.1 bn). The reversal of excessive provisions for COVID-19 testing costs led to a reduction in extraordinary expenditure (‑0.2 bn).

Ordinary expenditure grew by 3.2 billion, or 4%, in 2024, and thus outstripped nominal GDP growth (+2.2%). The social welfare task area was the biggest driver of expenditure growth. The rise was due primarily to much higher AHV expenditure (+1.4 bn), particularly as a result of the 0.4 percentage point increase in value added tax that was decided as part of the AHV 21 reform and which is transferred to the insurance fund. In addition, health insurance (+0.3 bn) and disability insurance (+0.1 bn) expenditure was higher. The finances and taxes task area likewise experienced vigorous growth, in particular because expenditure concerning the cantons' shares of federal receipts rose considerably (+0.5 bn) due to the surge in receipts. Furthermore, the contributions to special financing and fiscal equalization increased. Another growth hotspot was the education and research task area, where the increase in expenditure was largely due to contributions for the transitional measures that were decided because of Switzerland's non-association to the Horizon package. 

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Last modification 25.03.2025

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