Council Tax Benefit: spending and claimants by year
Spending on Council Tax Benefit each financial year, in cash terms, from DWP's benefit expenditure tables, with the number of people receiving it where DWP gives a caseload.
£4.9 billion
5,911 thousand
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on Council Tax Benefit of £4.9 billion in 2012/13, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1970/71 (£18 million). DWP's caseload for 2012/13 is 5,911 thousand; the highest in the table is 7,230 thousand in 1984/85. Cash spending was highest in 2010/11, at £4.9 billion.
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012/13 | £4.9 billion | -0.1% | 5,911 |
| 2011/12 | £4.9 billion | -0.1% | 5,874 |
| 2010/11 | £4.9 billion | +4.8% | 5,805 |
| 2009/10 | £4.7 billion | +10.9% | 5,571 |
| 2008/09 | £4.2 billion | +5.2% | 5,158 |
| 2007/08 | £4.0 billion | +2.2% | 5,068 |
| 2006/07 | £3.9 billion | +4.4% | 5,080 |
| 2005/06 | £3.8 billion | +6.1% | 5,029 |
| 2004/05 | £3.6 billion | +10.3% | 4,915 |
| 2003/04 | £3.2 billion | +13.8% | 4,693 |
| 2002/03 | £2.8 billion | +5.5% | 4,625 |
| 2001/02 | £2.7 billion | +4.3% | 4,664 |
| 2000/01 | £2.6 billion | +2.5% | 4,761 |
| 1999/00 | £2.5 billion | +2.4% | 5,051 |
| 1998/99 | £2.5 billion | +2.4% | 5,306 |
| 1997/98 | £2.4 billion | +3.6% | 5,479 |
| 1996/97 | £2.3 billion | +5.6% | 5,618 |
| 1995/96 | £2.2 billion | +5.4% | 5,690 |
| 1994/95 | £2.1 billion | +7.1% | 5,615 |
| 1993/94 | £1.9 billion | +14.6% | 5,466 |
| 1992/93 | £1.7 billion | +20.5% | 6,704 |
| 1991/92 | £1.4 billion | -33.9% | 6,367 |
| 1990/91 | £2.1 billion | +24.9% | 6,726 |
| 1989/90 | £1.7 billion | +24.5% | 5,201 |
| 1988/89 | £1.4 billion | -19.7% | 5,143 |
| 1987/88 | £1.7 billion | +4.0% | 6,875 |
| 1986/87 | £1.6 billion | +10.5% | 7,050 |
| 1985/86 | £1.5 billion | +9.2% | 7,020 |
| 1984/85 | £1.4 billion | +11.2% | 7,230 |
| 1983/84 | £1.2 billion | +12.5% | 7,020 |
| 1982/83 | £1.1 billion | +21.6% | 6,950 |
| 1981/82 | £891 million | +48.7% | 6,555 |
| 1980/81 | £599 million | +34.6% | 5,800 |
| 1979/80 | £445 million | +15.3% | 5,396 |
| 1978/79 | £386 million | +4.6% | 5,460 |
| 1977/78 | £369 million | +149.3% | |
| 1976/77 | £148 million | +8.0% | |
| 1975/76 | £137 million | +38.4% | |
| 1974/75 | £99 million | +200.0% | |
| 1973/74 | £33 million | +22.2% | |
| 1972/73 | £27 million | +28.6% | |
| 1971/72 | £21 million | +16.7% | |
| 1970/71 | £18 million |
Source: DWP expenditure tables, Tables 1a and 1c. About these figures · CSV
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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