The Government has printed 27 million glossy 16-page leaflets explaining why "remaining in the European Union is the best decision for the UK" - to be sent out from next week.
The £9.3m cost will be taxpayer-funded and comes in addition to the specific provision for a mass mailing for both the official Leave and Remain campaigns.
The spending consists of nearly £6m on printing and delivering the leaflets, and nearly £3m on targeted digital promotion of an online version.
Number 10 says it is responding to a public desire for more information from the Government about the 23 June referendum.
Liz Truss, the Environment Secretary said: "This referendum will be a huge decision for our country, perhaps the biggest we will make in our lifetimes and it's crucial that the public have clear and accessible information."
She said that independent polling commissioned by the Government indicated 85% of people wanted more information from them to help make an informed decision.
The use of taxpayers' money has infuriated many Leave campaigners.
Brexit-friendly MPs had successfully amended the referendum legislation in Parliament to ensure no such leaflet could be distributed within four weeks of the referendum debate.
London mayor and 'Out' campaigner Boris Johnson said he was concerned the leaflet would be "biased" and "hysterical" - and called it a "crazy" waste of money.
"If this thing was genuinely going to help people understand what is going on in the debate, there might be a case for it," he said.
"But given that I think it's very likely it will be very biased and hysterical and warning unnecessarily about the risks of leaving the EU, I think it's a complete waste of money.
"If you are going to use taxpayers' money you should allow people to put the other side of the case as well."
UKIP leader Nigel Farage told Sky News: "We saw it all 40 years ago - the Wilson government did exactly the same thing. It's legally questionable and morally it was the wrong thing in '75 and it's the wrong thing now."
The Government has also been obliged to delay the mailout in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland until May, in order to avoid a clash with elections.
There are precedents for a mailing such as this from the Scottish referendum - and the earlier EU referendum in 1975, when the Government sent a similar document to all households.
The 1975 leaflet had a personal letter and picture of Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Today's leaflet does not feature David Cameron at all.
The argument in the rather dry document focuses mainly on the economy, risk and uncertainty. It claims household shopping prices could go up, mobile phone roaming charges increase, and jobs put at risk.
It aims to sell the PM's "special status" negotiation in Brussels from February, and warns of a "decade of uncertainty".
A Number 10 insider said: "It's not designed as a campaigning document. It is a straightforward sober representation of the Government case".
The Leave campaign could try to block the mailing using the courts.
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