Since 2020, Estonia has allocated its budget due to the activities of each ministry.

This year the budget will total €17.8 billion and almost half – €7.5 billion – is allocated to the Ministry of Social Affairs. This is because the ministry is responsible for healthcare and costs have risen. Additionally, it pays out pensions.

The government is allocated the second highest amount at €3.1 billion as it hands out funding from taxes and the EU to local governments.

After these two budget lines, €1.5 billion will be given to the Ministry of Defense, €1.4 billion to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, €1.3 billion to the newly formed Ministry of Climate, and €1.1 billion to the Ministry of Education and Research.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is allocated the lowest amount of funding at €134 million.

The state budget has increased by 5 percent this year compared to 2023, but this extra money is not distributed equally across all sectors.

The Ministry of Social Affairs' received 3.3 percent less funding while the Ministry of Climate, established last year, received an 80 percent boost. The latter has had responsibilities reassigned to its area of management.

The Ministry of Defense received 28.9 percent more and an extra 26.8 percent was allocated to the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

Looking at all the administrative areas of the budget, the biggest share is related to social care. The Social Insurance Board has been allocated €4.5 billion, which means the Ministry of Social Affairs is left with €2.7 billion to cover its expenses. The National Defense Investment Center has been awarded €1.1 billion.

The data is not possible to directly compare across all areas.

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