Carer's Allowance: spending and claimants by year
Spending on Carer's Allowance each financial year, in cash terms, from DWP's benefit expenditure tables, with the number of people receiving it where DWP gives a caseload.
£4.2 billion
1,325 thousand
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on Carer's Allowance of £4.2 billion in 2024/25, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1976/77 (£1.9 million). DWP's caseload for 2024/25 is 1,325 thousand.
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £4.2 billion | +13.4% | 1,325 |
| 2023/24 | £3.7 billion | +15.0% | 1,258 |
| 2022/23 | £3.2 billion | +5.7% | 1,230 |
| 2021/22 | £3.1 billion | +1.2% | 1,187 |
| 2020/21 | £3.0 billion | +3.3% | 1,181 |
| 2019/20 | £2.9 billion | +1.9% | 1,179 |
| 2018/19 | £2.9 billion | +1.9% | 1,219 |
| 2017/18 | £2.8 billion | +6.1% | 1,245 |
| 2016/17 | £2.7 billion | +4.8% | 1,210 |
| 2015/16 | £2.5 billion | +9.8% | 1,170 |
| 2014/15 | £2.3 billion | +11.1% | 1,108 |
| 2013/14 | £2.1 billion | +8.4% | 1,071 |
| 2012/13 | £1.9 billion | +11.2% | 1,056 |
| 2011/12 | £1.7 billion | +10.2% | 1,032 |
| 2010/11 | £1.6 billion | +5.2% | 1,004 |
| 2009/10 | £1.5 billion | +9.7% | 961 |
| 2008/09 | £1.4 billion | +6.5% | 907 |
| 2007/08 | £1.3 billion | +8.3% | 852 |
| 2006/07 | £1.2 billion | +2.8% | 803 |
| 2005/06 | £1.1 billion | +4.8% | 754 |
| 2004/05 | £1.1 billion | +4.0% | 702 |
| 2003/04 | £1.1 billion | +6.1% | 632 |
| 2002/03 | £993 million | +6.6% | 541 |
| 2001/02 | £932 million | +7.5% | 493 |
| 2000/01 | £867 million | +3.9% | 459 |
| 1999/00 | £835 million | +6.7% | 448 |
| 1998/99 | £782 million | +4.9% | 373 |
| 1997/98 | £746 million | +1.3% | 367 |
| 1996/97 | £736 million | +19.3% | 343 |
| 1995/96 | £617 million | +17.3% | 326 |
| 1994/95 | £526 million | +19.1% | 263 |
| 1993/94 | £442 million | +27.9% | 220 |
| 1992/93 | £345 million | +21.3% | 182 |
| 1991/92 | £285 million | +36.8% | 152 |
| 1990/91 | £208 million | +13.3% | 130 |
| 1989/90 | £184 million | +5.9% | 118 |
| 1988/89 | £173 million | -5.6% | 104 |
| 1987/88 | £184 million | +76.6% | 76 |
| 1986/87 | £104 million | +700.0% | 33 |
| 1985/86 | £13 million | +18.2% | 10 |
| 1984/85 | £11 million | +10.0% | 10 |
| 1983/84 | £10 million | +25.0% | 9 |
| 1982/83 | £8 million | +33.3% | 8 |
| 1981/82 | £6 million | +20.0% | 7 |
| 1980/81 | £5 million | +25.0% | 7 |
| 1979/80 | £4 million | – | 6 |
| 1978/79 | £4 million | +37.9% | 6 |
| 1977/78 | £2.9 million | +52.6% | |
| 1976/77 | £1.9 million |
Source: DWP expenditure tables, Tables 1a and 1c. About these figures · CSV
Rates and related figures
Sources and receipts
- Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: outturn and forecast, Spring Forecast 2026, Department for Work and Pensions.
File: outturn-and-forecast-tables-spring-forecast-2026.xlsx. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
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