Housing Benefit: spending and claimants by year
Housing Benefit paid outside Universal Credit (rent support for pensioners and people still on older benefits).
£15.5 billion
2,072 thousand
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on Housing Benefit of £15.5 billion in 2024/25, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1970/71 (£22 million). DWP's caseload for 2024/25 is 2,072 thousand; the highest in the table is 5,053 thousand in 2012/13. Cash spending was highest in 2014/15, at £24.3 billion.
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £15.5 billion | -2.0% | 2,072 |
| 2023/24 | £15.8 billion | +1.2% | 2,351 |
| 2022/23 | £15.6 billion | -3.4% | 2,509 |
| 2021/22 | £16.1 billion | -7.0% | 2,733 |
| 2020/21 | £17.3 billion | -5.7% | 3,008 |
| 2019/20 | £18.4 billion | -11.3% | 3,394 |
| 2018/19 | £20.7 billion | -7.0% | 3,984 |
| 2017/18 | £22.3 billion | -4.9% | 4,371 |
| 2016/17 | £23.4 billion | -3.3% | 4,594 |
| 2015/16 | £24.2 billion | -0.3% | 4,777 |
| 2014/15 | £24.3 billion | +0.6% | 4,921 |
| 2013/14 | £24.2 billion | +1.1% | 5,026 |
| 2012/13 | £23.9 billion | +4.7% | 5,053 |
| 2011/12 | £22.8 billion | +6.5% | 4,932 |
| 2010/11 | £21.4 billion | +7.2% | 4,798 |
| 2009/10 | £20.0 billion | +16.9% | 4,547 |
| 2008/09 | £17.1 billion | +8.7% | 4,166 |
| 2007/08 | £15.7 billion | +6.0% | 4,036 |
| 2006/07 | £14.8 billion | +6.6% | 4,021 |
| 2005/06 | £13.9 billion | +5.9% | 3,986 |
| 2004/05 | £13.2 billion | +6.6% | 3,940 |
| 2003/04 | £12.3 billion | -2.3% | 3,812 |
| 2002/03 | £12.6 billion | +9.0% | 3,807 |
| 2001/02 | £11.6 billion | +3.8% | 3,846 |
| 2000/01 | £11.2 billion | +0.9% | 3,946 |
| 1999/00 | £11.1 billion | – | 4,187 |
| 1998/99 | £11.1 billion | -1.0% | 4,423 |
| 1997/98 | £11.2 billion | -1.8% | 4,588 |
| 1996/97 | £11.4 billion | +4.6% | 4,740 |
| 1995/96 | £10.9 billion | +7.6% | 4,757 |
| 1994/95 | £10.1 billion | +9.6% | 4,692 |
| 1993/94 | £9.2 billion | +18.0% | 4,601 |
| 1992/93 | £7.8 billion | +22.9% | 4,380 |
| 1991/92 | £6.4 billion | +24.8% | 4,120 |
| 1990/91 | £5.1 billion | +20.4% | 3,950 |
| 1989/90 | £4.2 billion | +13.7% | 3,886 |
| 1988/89 | £3.7 billion | +5.3% | 3,996 |
| 1987/88 | £3.5 billion | +3.5% | 4,860 |
| 1986/87 | £3.4 billion | +7.5% | 4,900 |
| 1985/86 | £3.2 billion | +12.1% | 4,860 |
| 1984/85 | £2.8 billion | +12.6% | 4,825 |
| 1983/84 | £2.5 billion | +18.2% | 4,750 |
| 1982/83 | £2.1 billion | +28.5% | 4,431 |
| 1981/82 | £1.7 billion | +61.7% | 4,151 |
| 1980/81 | £1.0 billion | +29.1% | 3,556 |
| 1979/80 | £793 million | +10.0% | 3,314 |
| 1978/79 | £721 million | +5.4% | 3,408 |
| 1977/78 | £684 million | +240.3% | |
| 1976/77 | £201 million | +3.6% | |
| 1975/76 | £194 million | +40.6% | |
| 1974/75 | £138 million | -38.7% | |
| 1973/74 | £225 million | +114.3% | |
| 1972/73 | £105 million | +425.0% | |
| 1971/72 | £20 million | -9.1% | |
| 1970/71 | £22 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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