{"metric":"benefit_expenditure_total","title":"Total benefit expenditure","topic":"benefits","unit":"£ million","measure_type":"count","geography":"K03000001","comparison_method":"previous_period","latest":{"period_start":"2024-04-01","period_end":"2025-03-31","period_label":"Year ending March 2025","value":289298.9489423778,"status":"final","vintage":"2026-03-26"},"comparison":{"period_label":"Year ending March 2024","value":267872.04356232006,"vintage":"2026-03-26"},"source":{"publisher":"DWP","publication":"Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: outturn and forecast (Spring Forecast 2026)","landing_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2026","sheet":"Benefit summary table","table":"Benefit expenditure, £ billion, nominal terms","row":"Total","column":"2024/25","raw_value":"289.2989489423778","file_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2026","file_sha256":"11a591e4a2144ed6a686be6a9ded4e5d5b3b8d4887bd57c1ff0632bd251009de","release_date":"2026-03-26","release_label":"Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: Spring Forecast 2026"},"definition":"Everything DWP spent on benefits in Great Britain in the financial year, in cash terms, across children, working-age and pensioner benefits.\n","does_not_measure":"Tax credits and Child Benefit, which HMRC administers, or benefits devolved to Scotland after their transfer.\n","links":{"page":"/benefits/benefit-expenditure-total","series":"/api/metrics/benefit_expenditure_total/series","vintages":"/api/metrics/benefit_expenditure_total/vintages"}}