social security

Universal Words noun [U] 1 (BrE) (also welfare AmE, BrE) money that the government pays regularly to people who are poor, unemployed, sick, etc: to live on social security * social security payments * the Department of Social Security 2 (Social Security) (AmE) a system in which people pay money regularly to the government when they are working and receive payments from the government when they are unable to work, especially when they are sick or too old to work compareNATIONALINSURANCE