Income Security
The safety net and federal retirement: food assistance, housing aid, unemployment benefits, refundable tax credits, SSI and federal employees' pensions.
$701.6B
spent in fiscal year 2025 (net)
10.0 cents
of every federal dollar, the 6th largest purpose
$2,053
for every person in the country
+37.7%
since fiscal year 2015, before inflation
In 2015 it was $509.4B, or $692.0B in 2025 dollars; after inflation it has changed by +1.4% since then.
Over time
Net outlays for Income Security in each fiscal year, from the Treasury’s September statements.
The figures
| Fiscal year | Net outlays | In 2025 dollars | Share of all spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $701,583,598,130 | $701.6B | 10.0% |
| 2024 | $671,075,997,542 | $688.7B | 9.9% |
| 2023 | $774,168,449,954 | $818.0B | 12.6% |
| 2022 | $865,449,106,216 | $952.1B | 13.8% |
| 2021 | $1,648,844,849,395 | $1.96T | 24.2% |
| 2020 | $1,262,558,242,934 | $1.57T | 19.3% |
| 2019 | $515,433,103,680 | $649.1B | 11.6% |
| 2018 | $495,802,270,172 | $635.7B | 12.1% |
| 2017 | $504,013,992,231 | $662.0B | 12.7% |
| 2016 | $514,582,983,291 | $690.3B | 13.4% |
| 2015 | $509,429,152,710 | $692.0B | 13.8% |
What is inside it
Its subfunctions, by the gross outlays of every agency account classified to each: before collections and transfers are netted, so they add to more than the Treasury’s figure above.
- Other income security32.4%$243,627,032,386
- Federal employee retirement and disability26.5%$199,797,345,296
- Food and nutrition assistance19.9%$149,872,444,616
- Housing assistance10.4%$78,229,025,636
- Unemployment compensation6.4%$47,956,490,626
- General retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se4.4%$33,139,884,955
- Gross outlays100%$752,622,223,515
Which agencies pay for each subfunction
Other income security
- Department of the Treasury$112.0B46.0%
- Social Security Administration$73.2B30.0%
- Department of Health and Human Services$58.4B24.0%
Federal employee retirement and disability
- Office of Personnel Management$113.9B57.0%
- Department of Defense$80.5B40.3%
- Department of Labor$3.97B2.0%
- Department of State$1.39B0.7%
- Department of the Treasury$19M<0.1%
- Agency for International Development$16M<0.1%
- U.S. Agency for Global Media$2.4M<0.1%
- Department of Agriculture$1.9M<0.1%
Food and nutrition assistance
- Department of Agriculture$149.9B100.0%
Housing assistance
- Department of Housing and Urban Development$76.2B97.5%
- Department of Agriculture$1.91B2.4%
- Department of the Treasury$82M0.1%
Unemployment compensation
- Department of Labor$47.8B99.7%
- Railroad Retirement Board$128M0.3%
General retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se
- Railroad Retirement Board$17.4B52.4%
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation$13.3B40.1%
- Department of the Treasury$1.67B5.0%
- Department of Labor$811M2.4%
Which agencies pay for it
Gross outlays from each agency’s accounts in this function. Open an agency to see everything else it spends on.
- Department of Agriculture$151.8B20.2%
- Office of Personnel Management$113.9B15.1%
- Department of the Treasury$113.8B15.1%
- Department of Defense$80.5B10.7%
- Department of Housing and Urban Development$76.2B10.1%
- Social Security Administration$73.2B9.7%
- Department of Health and Human Services$58.4B7.8%
- Department of Labor$52.6B7.0%
- Railroad Retirement Board$17.5B2.3%
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation$13.3B1.8%
- Department of State$1.39B0.2%
- Agency for International Development$16M<0.1%
- U.S. Agency for Global Media$2.4M<0.1%
The accounts it is paid from
Every federal account in the function, by the amount obligated (committed) in the year, which is what USAspending’s spending explorer reports by function; each account’s gross outlays are beside it where its agency reported them. Each opens on USAspending.gov.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, AgricultureFood and nutrition assistance · Department of Agriculture · $106.5B gross outlays$115.7B15.2%
- Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, Office of Personnel ManagementFederal employee retirement and disability · Office of Personnel Management · $110.2B gross outlays$110.3B14.5%
- Department of Defense Military Retirement FundFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of Defense · $80.5B gross outlays$80.6B10.6%
- Supplemental Security Income Program, Social Security AdministrationOther income security · Social Security Administration · $72.9B gross outlays$72.3B9.5%
- Payment Where Earned Income Credit Exceeds Liability for Tax, Internal Revenue Service, TreasuryOther income security · Department of the Treasury · $66.0B gross outlays$66.0B8.7%
- Unemployment Trust Fund - Treasury Managed, LaborUnemployment compensation · Department of Labor · $47.7B gross outlays$46.3B6.1%
- Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, Public and Indian Housing, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $38.3B gross outlays$38.4B5.1%
- Child Nutrition Programs, Food and Nutrition ServiceFood and nutrition assistance · Department of Agriculture · $33.4B gross outlays$35.6B4.7%
- Payment Where Child Tax Credit Exceeds Liability for Tax, Internal Revenue Service, TreasuryOther income security · Department of the Treasury · $26.6B gross outlays$26.6B3.5%
- U.S. Coronavirus Refundable Credits, Internal Revenue Service, TreasuryOther income security · Department of the Treasury · $18.5B gross outlays$18.5B2.4%
- Project-Based Rental Assistance, Housing Programs, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $17.2B gross outlays$16.9B2.2%
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $17.7B gross outlays$16.7B2.2%
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Fund, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, LaborGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation · $13.3B gross outlays$13.3B1.8%
- Payments for Foster Care and Permanency, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $10.0B gross outlays$10.4B1.4%
- Payment to States for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $10.8B gross outlays$9.01B1.2%
- Social Security Equivalent Benefit Account, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $8.96B gross outlays$8.98B1.2%
- Public Housing Fund, Public and Indian Housing, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $8.91B gross outlays$8.62B1.1%
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Food and Nutrition ServiceFood and nutrition assistance · Department of Agriculture · $7.97B gross outlays$8.36B1.1%
- Refugee and Entrant Assistance, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $5.86B gross outlays$6.24B0.8%
- Railroad Retirement Account, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $5.94B gross outlays$5.94B0.8%
Show the other 70 accounts
- Payments to States for Child Support Enforcement and Family Support Programs, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $4.97B gross outlays$5.33B0.7%
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $4.38B gross outlays$4.13B0.5%
- Homeless Assistance Grants, Community Planning and Development, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $3.41B gross outlays$4.06B0.5%
- Special Benefits, Office of Workers Compensation Program, LaborFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of Labor · $3.96B gross outlays$3.98B0.5%
- Employees' Life Insurance Fund, Office of Personnel ManagementFederal employee retirement and disability · Office of Personnel Management · $3.72B gross outlays$3.88B0.5%
- Child Care Entitlement to States, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $4.04B gross outlays$3.57B0.5%
- Rental Assistance Program, Rural Housing Service, AgricultureHousing assistance · Department of Agriculture · $1.78B gross outlays$1.64B0.2%
- Funds for Strengthening Markets, Income, and Supply (Section 32), AgricultureFood and nutrition assistance · Department of Agriculture · $1.29B gross outlays$1.43B0.2%
- National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $1.42B gross outlays$1.42B0.2%
- Native American Programs, Public and Indian Housing, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $1.40B gross outlays$1.35B0.2%
- Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund, StateFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of State · $1.23B gross outlays$1.23B0.2%
- Housing for the Elderly, Housing Programs, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $966M gross outlays$1.15B0.2%
- Program Offices, Management and Administration, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $1.14B gross outlays$1.15B0.2%
- Home Investment Partnerships Program, Community and Planning Development, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $1.88B gross outlays$1.09B0.1%
- District of Columbia Federal Pension Fund, TreasuryGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of the Treasury · $984M gross outlays$983M0.1%
- U.S. Coronavirus Payments, Internal Revenue Service, TreasuryOther income security · Department of the Treasury · $924M gross outlays$924M0.1%
- Federal Payments to the Railroad Retirement Accounts, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $863M gross outlays$863M0.1%
- Administrative Support Offices, Management and Administration, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $705M gross outlays$694M0.1%
- Federal Payment to the Federal District of Columbia Pension Fund, TreasuryGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of the Treasury · $684M gross outlays$684M0.1%
- Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $561M gross outlays$608M0.1%
- Commodity Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, AgricultureFood and nutrition assistance · Department of Agriculture · $487M gross outlays$505M0.1%
- Black Lung Disability Trust Fund - Treasury Managed, LaborGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of Labor · $482M gross outlays$443M0.1%
- Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, Community Planning and Development, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $462M gross outlays$358M<0.1%
- Housing for Persons with Disabilities, Housing Programs, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $273M gross outlays$257M<0.1%
- Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement, Community Planning and Development, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $1.3M gross outlays$225M<0.1%
- Salaries and Expenses, Employee Benefits Security Administration, LaborGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of Labor · $199M gross outlays$198M<0.1%
- Housing Trust Fund, Community Planning and Development, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $600M gross outlays$192M<0.1%
- Self-Sufficiency Programs, Public and Indian Housing, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $176M gross outlays$186M<0.1%
- Limitation on Administration, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $169M gross outlays$175M<0.1%
- Nutrition Programs Administration, Food and Nutrition Service, AgricultureFood and nutrition assistance · Department of Agriculture · $170M gross outlays$174M<0.1%
- State Supplemental Fees, Social Security AdministrationOther income security · Social Security Administration · $170M gross outlays$170M<0.1%
- Office of the Inspector General, Social Security AdministrationOther income security · Social Security Administration · $131M gross outlays$131M<0.1%
- Railroad Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, Benefit Payments, Railroad Retirement BoardUnemployment compensation · Railroad Retirement Board · $128M gross outlays$129M<0.1%
- Foreign Service National Defined Contributions Retirement Fund, StateFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of State · $113M gross outlays$112M<0.1%
- Payments to the Unemployment Trust Fund, Employment and Training Administration, LaborUnemployment compensation · Department of Labor · $95M gross outlays$95M<0.1%
- Relief and Rehabilitation, Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, as Amended, LaborGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of Labor · $90M gross outlays$90M<0.1%
- Green and Resilient Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing, Housing Programs, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $16M gross outlays$83M<0.1%
- Children's Research and Technical Assistance, Administration for Children and Families, Health and Human ServicesOther income security · Department of Health and Human Services · $59M gross outlays$64M<0.1%
- Working Capital Fund, Management and Administration, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $66M gross outlays$64M<0.1%
- Assisted Housing Inspections and Risk Assessments, Public and Indian Housing, Housing & Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $14M gross outlays$53M<0.1%
- Multi-Family Housing Revitalization Program Account, Rural Housing Service, AgricultureHousing assistance · Department of Agriculture · $44M gross outlays$48M<0.1%
- Expenses, Rural Housing Assistance Grants, Rural Housing Service, AgricultureHousing assistance · Department of Agriculture · $53M gross outlays$47M<0.1%
- Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust Fund, StateFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of State · $43M gross outlays$43M<0.1%
- Government Payment for Annuitants, Employee Life Insurance Benefits, Office of Personnel ManagementFederal employee retirement and disability · Office of Personnel Management · $42M gross outlays$42M<0.1%
- Federal Unemployment Compensation Program, Employment and Training Administration, LaborUnemployment compensation · Department of Labor · $32M gross outlays$37M<0.1%
- Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners, Office of Workers' Compensation Program, LaborGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of Labor · $35M gross outlays$35M<0.1%
- Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants, Rural Housing Service, AgricultureHousing assistance · Department of Agriculture · $35M gross outlays$23M<0.1%
- Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant, Public and Indian Housing, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $50M gross outlays$22M<0.1%
- District of Columbia Judicial Retirement and Survivor's Annuity Fund, TreasuryFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of the Treasury · $19M gross outlays$19M<0.1%
- Executive Offices, Management and Administration, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $19M gross outlays$19M<0.1%
- Homeowner Assistance Fund, Departmental Offices, TreasuryHousing assistance · Department of the Treasury · $39M gross outlays$19M<0.1%
- Limitation on the Office of the Inspector General, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $13M gross outlays$14M<0.1%
- Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the TreasuryOther income security · Department of the Treasury · $12M gross outlays$12M<0.1%
- Emergency Rental Assistance, Departmental Offices, TreasuryHousing assistance · Department of the Treasury · $43M gross outlays$12M<0.1%
- Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program, Community Planning and Development, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $47M gross outlays$12M<0.1%
- Housing Counseling Assistance, Housing Programs, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $76M gross outlays$11M<0.1%
- Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust Fund, Foreign Agricultural Service, AgricultureFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of Agriculture · $1.9M gross outlays$9.2M<0.1%
- Foreign National Employees Separation Liability Fund, Agency for International DevelopmentFederal employee retirement and disability · Agency for International Development · $16M gross outlays$8.8M<0.1%
- Dual Benefits Payments Account, Railroad Retirement BoardGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Railroad Retirement Board · $5.0M gross outlays$5.0M<0.1%
- Relief and Rehabilitation, Workmen's Compensation Act, within the District of Columbia, LaborGeneral retirement and disability insurance (excluding social se · Department of Labor · $4.8M gross outlays$4.9M<0.1%
- Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust Fund, United States Agency for Global MediaFederal employee retirement and disability · U.S. Agency for Global Media · $2.4M gross outlays$3.6M<0.1%
- Housing Certificate Fund, Public and Indian Housing, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $385k gross outlays$3.5M<0.1%
- Panama Canal Commission Compensation Fund, LaborFederal employee retirement and disability · Department of Labor · $3.0M gross outlays$3.0M<0.1%
- Salaries and Expenses, Management and Administration, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $1.2M gross outlays$1.2M<0.1%
- Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, Public and Indian Housing Programs, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $180M gross outlays$1.0M<0.1%
- Railroad Unemployment Insurance Waiver of 7 Day Period, Railroad Retirement BoardUnemployment compensation · Railroad Retirement Board · $475k gross outlays$860k<0.1%
- Railroad Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefits Payments, Railroad Retirement BoardUnemployment compensation · Railroad Retirement Board · $5k gross outlays$223k<0.1%
- Housing, Program Office Salaries and Expenses, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $3k gross outlays$5k<0.1%
- Public and Indian Housing, Program Office Salaries and Expenses, Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing assistance · Department of Housing and Urban Development · $38k gross outlays$4k<0.1%
- Railroad Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefit Payments - Recovery Act, Railroad Retirement BoardUnemployment compensation · Railroad Retirement Board · $1k gross outlays$134<0.1%
Net outlays are the Monthly Treasury Statement’s, table 9. The subfunctions and agencies are the gross outlays agencies reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal year 2025; the accounts are its spending explorer’s obligations. In 2025 dollars restates each year with the CPI-U annual average of the calendar year the fiscal year ends in.