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Answered from official statistics · DWP

Are more people on benefits?

Year ending March 2025

5,473,000households

Universal Credit caseload was 5,473,000 households at 31 March 2025, up 16.3% (767,000) from 4,706,000 at 31 March 2024.

  1. DWP
  2. Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: outturn and forecast (Spring Forecast 2026)
  3. Universal Credit and equivalents caseloads,
  4. published 26 March 2026
  5. full metric page

Universal Credit caseload: 5,473,000 households, Year ending March 2025

The average number of households with a Universal Credit claim in payment over the financial year.

Universal Credit caseload: Year ending March 2020 to Year ending March 2025ConservativeConservativeLabourLabour02m4m202020212022202320242025Year ending March 2020: 2,130,000 households · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2021: 3,873,000 households · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2022: 4,049,000 households · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2023: 4,229,000 households · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2024: 4,706,000 households · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2025: 5,473,000 households · published 26 March 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Disability benefits caseload: 6,531,000 people, Year ending March 2025

The average number of people receiving a DWP disability benefit over the financial year.

Disability benefits caseload: Year ending March 1974 to Year ending March 2025ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour02m4m6m19801990200020102020Year ending March 1974: 143,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1975: 170,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1976: 193,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1977: 251,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1978: 298,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1979: 339,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1980: 383,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1981: 461,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1982: 527,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1983: 602,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1984: 704,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1985: 821,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1986: 929,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1987: 1,033,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1988: 1,151,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1989: 1,257,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1990: 1,363,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1991: 1,482,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1992: 1,642,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1993: 1,935,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1994: 2,248,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1995: 2,512,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1996: 2,937,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1997: 3,144,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1998: 3,369,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1999: 3,496,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2000: 3,599,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2001: 3,719,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2002: 3,863,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2003: 4,000,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2004: 4,154,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2005: 4,290,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2006: 4,406,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2007: 4,518,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2008: 4,641,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2009: 4,771,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2010: 4,909,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2011: 4,987,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2012: 5,009,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2013: 5,017,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2014: 4,961,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2015: 5,031,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2016: 5,212,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2017: 5,278,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2018: 5,262,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2019: 5,278,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2020: 5,354,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2021: 4,974,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2022: 5,137,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2023: 5,501,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2024: 5,958,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2025: 6,531,000 people · published 26 March 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Incapacity benefits caseload: 3,549,000 people, Year ending March 2025

The average number of people receiving an incapacity-related benefit over the financial year.

Incapacity benefits caseload: Year ending March 1949 to Year ending March 2025ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour01m2m3m19501960197019801990200020102020Year ending March 1949: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1950: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1951: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1952: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1953: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1954: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1955: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1956: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1957: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1958: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1959: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1960: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1961: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1962: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1963: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1964: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1965: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1966: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1967: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1968: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1969: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1970: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1971: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1972: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1973: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1974: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1975: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1976: 0 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1977: 103,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1978: 107,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1979: 1,254,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1980: 1,272,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1981: 1,270,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1982: 1,340,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1983: 1,387,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1984: 1,332,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1985: 1,339,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1986: 1,408,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1987: 1,446,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1988: 1,531,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1989: 1,662,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1990: 1,799,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1991: 1,959,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1992: 2,172,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1993: 2,409,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1994: 2,594,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1995: 2,765,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1996: 2,848,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1997: 2,819,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1998: 2,813,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1999: 2,749,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2000: 2,731,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2001: 2,767,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2002: 2,797,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2003: 2,814,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2004: 2,819,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2005: 2,811,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2006: 2,763,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2007: 2,718,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2008: 2,678,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2009: 2,719,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2010: 2,662,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2011: 2,636,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2012: 2,608,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2013: 2,541,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2014: 2,476,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2015: 2,531,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2016: 2,543,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2017: 2,491,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2018: 2,399,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2019: 2,227,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2020: 2,559,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2021: 2,660,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2022: 2,882,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2023: 3,072,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2024: 3,291,000 people · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2025: 3,549,000 people · published 26 March 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Total benefit expenditure: £289.3bn £ million, Year ending March 2025

Everything DWP spent on benefits in Great Britain in the financial year, in cash terms, across children, working-age and pensioner benefits.

Total benefit expenditure: Year ending March 1949 to Year ending March 2025ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0100k200k19501960197019801990200020102020Year ending March 1949: £471.3m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1950: £597.8m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1951: £610.5m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1952: £642.1m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1953: £775.2m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1954: £816.7m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1955: £839.2m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1956: £942.3m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1957: £980.8m £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1958: £1.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1959: £1.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1960: £1.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1961: £1.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1962: £1.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1963: £1.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1964: £1.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1965: £2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1966: £2.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1967: £2.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1968: £2.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1969: £3.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1970: £3.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1971: £3.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1972: £4.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1973: £4.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1974: £5.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1975: £6.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1976: £9.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1977: £11.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1978: £13.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1979: £15.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1980: £18.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1981: £22.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1982: £27.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1983: £31.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1984: £35.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1985: £38.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1986: £41.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1987: £44.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1988: £46.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1989: £47.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1990: £50.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1991: £56.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1992: £66.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1993: £75.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1994: £82.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1995: £84.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1996: £88.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1997: £92.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1998: £93.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1999: £95.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2000: £99bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2001: £101.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2002: £106.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2003: £110.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2004: £105.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2005: £111.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2006: £115.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2007: £119.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2008: £126.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2009: £135.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2010: £148.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2011: £153.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2012: £159.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2013: £166.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2014: £164.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2015: £168.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2016: £171.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2017: £173.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2018: £178.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2019: £183.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2020: £192.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2021: £213.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2022: £217.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2023: £233.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2024: £267.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2025: £289.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Since the current government took office

MetricInheritedLatestChange
Universal Credit caseloadNot enough comparable periods yet.
Disability benefits caseloadNot enough comparable periods yet.
Incapacity benefits caseloadNot enough comparable periods yet.
Total benefit expenditureNot enough comparable periods yet.

Changes during a government do not by themselves show what it caused. Method.

What these figures don’t measure

Universal Credit caseload: Households still on the legacy benefits Universal Credit replaces, which the workbook lists separately and which fall as claims migrate.

Disability benefits caseload: People with a disability who do not claim, or the severity of the conditions supported.

Incapacity benefits caseload: Economic inactivity because of ill health, which is a labour market measure from a survey, not a benefit count.

Total benefit expenditure: Tax credits and Child Benefit, which HMRC administers, or benefits devolved to Scotland after their transfer.