All DWP benefits: spending and claimants by year
All benefit spending in DWP's expenditure tables (Great Britain and, for some benefits, the UK), including some benefits run by HMRC and local authorities before they moved.
£289.3 billion
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on All DWP benefits of £289.3 billion in 2024/25, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1948/49 (£471 million).
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £289.3 billion | +8.0% | |
| 2023/24 | £267.9 billion | +14.9% | |
| 2022/23 | £233.1 billion | +7.2% | |
| 2021/22 | £217.6 billion | +2.0% | |
| 2020/21 | £213.2 billion | +10.7% | |
| 2019/20 | £192.6 billion | +4.7% | |
| 2018/19 | £183.8 billion | +3.2% | |
| 2017/18 | £178.1 billion | +2.4% | |
| 2016/17 | £173.9 billion | +1.2% | |
| 2015/16 | £171.9 billion | +2.1% | |
| 2014/15 | £168.4 billion | +2.5% | |
| 2013/14 | £164.2 billion | -1.4% | |
| 2012/13 | £166.6 billion | +4.8% | |
| 2011/12 | £159.1 billion | +3.6% | |
| 2010/11 | £153.5 billion | +3.6% | |
| 2009/10 | £148.1 billion | +9.1% | |
| 2008/09 | £135.8 billion | +7.5% | |
| 2007/08 | £126.2 billion | +5.9% | |
| 2006/07 | £119.2 billion | +3.0% | |
| 2005/06 | £115.8 billion | +4.2% | |
| 2004/05 | £111.1 billion | +5.0% | |
| 2003/04 | £105.8 billion | -4.1% | |
| 2002/03 | £110.3 billion | +3.4% | |
| 2001/02 | £106.7 billion | +5.3% | |
| 2000/01 | £101.4 billion | +2.3% | |
| 1999/00 | £99.0 billion | +3.6% | |
| 1998/99 | £95.6 billion | +2.4% | |
| 1997/98 | £93.3 billion | +1.2% | |
| 1996/97 | £92.2 billion | +4.0% | |
| 1995/96 | £88.7 billion | +4.5% | |
| 1994/95 | £84.9 billion | +2.9% | |
| 1993/94 | £82.4 billion | +9.5% | |
| 1992/93 | £75.3 billion | +13.5% | |
| 1991/92 | £66.3 billion | +17.4% | |
| 1990/91 | £56.5 billion | +12.3% | |
| 1989/90 | £50.3 billion | +6.3% | |
| 1988/89 | £47.3 billion | +1.3% | |
| 1987/88 | £46.7 billion | +4.0% | |
| 1986/87 | £44.9 billion | +7.5% | |
| 1985/86 | £41.8 billion | +9.2% | |
| 1984/85 | £38.3 billion | +8.3% | |
| 1983/84 | £35.3 billion | +11.7% | |
| 1982/83 | £31.6 billion | +14.2% | |
| 1981/82 | £27.7 billion | +22.2% | |
| 1980/81 | £22.7 billion | +20.7% | |
| 1979/80 | £18.8 billion | +18.3% | |
| 1978/79 | £15.9 billion | +18.7% | |
| 1977/78 | £13.4 billion | +20.3% | |
| 1976/77 | £11.1 billion | +19.0% | |
| 1975/76 | £9.3 billion | +35.3% | |
| 1974/75 | £6.9 billion | +25.4% | |
| 1973/74 | £5.5 billion | +12.4% | |
| 1972/73 | £4.9 billion | +15.8% | |
| 1971/72 | £4.2 billion | +16.3% | |
| 1970/71 | £3.6 billion | +7.2% | |
| 1969/70 | £3.4 billion | +6.9% | |
| 1968/69 | £3.2 billion | +13.7% | |
| 1967/68 | £2.8 billion | +13.6% | |
| 1966/67 | £2.5 billion | +5.8% | |
| 1965/66 | £2.3 billion | +18.4% | |
| 1964/65 | £2.0 billion | +3.8% | |
| 1963/64 | £1.9 billion | +14.9% | |
| 1962/63 | £1.6 billion | +6.0% | |
| 1961/62 | £1.6 billion | +11.7% | |
| 1960/61 | £1.4 billion | +2.9% | |
| 1959/60 | £1.4 billion | +4.9% | |
| 1958/59 | £1.3 billion | +22.4% | |
| 1957/58 | £1.1 billion | +7.2% | |
| 1956/57 | £981 million | +4.1% | |
| 1955/56 | £942 million | +12.3% | |
| 1954/55 | £839 million | +2.8% | |
| 1953/54 | £817 million | +5.4% | |
| 1952/53 | £775 million | +20.7% | |
| 1951/52 | £642 million | +5.2% | |
| 1950/51 | £611 million | +2.1% | |
| 1949/50 | £598 million | +26.8% | |
| 1948/49 | £471 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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