I wouldn't count tax deductions, but I would count student loans. It's not a handout, but that doesn't mean it's not a social program. In a way, it's probably the mistake of equating "social program" with "handout" that is causing this problem. I think of social program as a service intending to better the community in some way, which sometimes includes handouts but may also be other things.
An example would be lunch in public schools. Students with financial situations where paying for lunch daily would be cost-prohibitive get free lunch, and some get reduced lunch, while others well to do enough pay full price. A chunk of the program is handouts, but another chunk is not handouts, so is it or is it not a social program? Anyhow, the benefits of having lunch for kids, regardless of cost, is to keep kids healthy and capable of focusing on studying as well as other indirect benefits.