BRITAIN’S incapacity benefits caseload has reached a new high, with the number of people claiming Universal Credit for health reasons rising by 890,000 in just one year.
Official government figures show 3.5million people are now on so-called UC Health – a 34% surge in twelve months.
Sign up for the Money newsletter
Thank you!
Out of this massive total, 2.8million claimants are now entirely exempt from working or even preparing to find a job.
This specific group of people grew by 831,000 over the last twelve months alone.
Health-related cases now make up 42% of all Universal Credit claims, representing a significant jump from 34% last year.
Mental health conditions are the primary driving factor behind the explosion in numbers, as they are cited in a staggering 71% of all new cases.
CHEERS!
Best pub gardens you can visit this weekend to enjoy the sun as World Cup kicks off
PASS FARCE
Martin Lewis blasts BA over sneaky trap charging Brits DOUBLE for visas
Reform UK Chairman Lee Anderson MP said: “These figures are utter absurdity and show a welfare system spinning out of control.
“Millions are now parked on incapacity benefits, with a growing number effectively written off from work altogether.
“Of course we must protect those who are genuinely sick and vulnerable, but this surge, driven largely by mental health claims, raises serious questions about how people are being assessed.
“Reform UK would end automatic write-offs, restore proper face-to-face assessments, and get Britain working again.”
The latest government data also reveals the demographics behind the benefit surge.
Women currently make up 53% of these claimants, while 43% are aged over 50.
Geographically, Scotland has the highest proportion of claimants on health benefits at 51%, followed closely by the North East of England at 47%.
At a local level, Inverclyde sees 58% of its Universal Credit claimants signed off for health reasons.
London has the lowest rate in England, at 35%.
The figures, published by the Department for Work and Pensions, cover the period up to March 2026 across Great Britain.
The Government moved to defend the figures, with a DWP spokesperson saying: “Nearly three quarters – 72% – of the increase in Universal Credit Health caseload from the past year is because of the decision taken by the last government to move sick and disabled people onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits – not from new benefit recipients.
“We’re investing £3.5billion to help disabled people and those with long-term conditions into work, giving disabled people the right to try work without risking their benefits, and reforming Universal Credit to remove perverse incentives that keep people on benefits.”
