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Area 1 of 10

Social Protection (Welfare)

Monthly

£18.8bn

Share

24.3%

Per household

£628

Per person

£314

exact ONS/HMRC/MHCLG/PSS fields

Who benefits?

  • Pensioners — 44%

  • Disabled people and carers — 26%

  • Working age people and families — 20%

  • Children — 10%

exact ONS/HMRC/MHCLG/PSS fields

State Pensions

£10.6bn

56.4% · £353/household

  • New State Pension
  • Basic State Pension
  • Pensioner supplements

Working Age Benefits

£3.8bn

20.2% · £127/household

  • Universal Credit (out of work)
  • Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Employment & Support Allowance

Disability Benefits

£2.5bn

13.3% · £83/household

  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Attendance Allowance

Child Benefit & Tax Credits

£1.2bn

6.4% · £40/household

  • Child Benefit
  • Working Tax Credit (legacy)
  • Child Tax Credit (legacy)

Housing Support

£0.9bn

4.8% · £30/household

  • Housing Benefit
  • Housing element of Universal Credit

Carer Support

£0.7bn

3.7% · £23/household

  • Carer's Allowance
  • Carer Support Payment
  • Carers' premiums

Other Welfare Support

£0.1bn

0.5% · £3/household

  • Sure Start Maternity Grant
  • Funeral Payments
  • Other welfare payments

Largest area of government spending at £18.8 billion every month.

Up £4.6 billion per month (+32%) since 2019/20.

Over 25 million people receive at least one form of social security support.

Helps reduce poverty and supports financial security for millions of households.