recipient; beneficiary; pensioner
Refers to a person who receives regular payments, benefits, or a pension, often in an official or administrative context.
年金の受給者は年々増えている。
The number of pension recipients is increasing year by year.
生活保護の受給者には定期的な調査がある。
Recipients of welfare benefits are subject to periodic reviews.
受給者 is the person who receives something (e.g. benefits or aid), the opposite role from 提供者, who gives or supplies it.
Compound of 受給 (receiving payments/benefits) and 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is straightforward from the kanji components.