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Universal Credit numbers rise by more than a million as DWP ends 'legacy benefits'

The Department for Work & Pensions reported a provisional total of 8.40 million Universal Credit claimants in December 2025, an increase of 1,044,865 year‑on‑year.
Looking back to December 2024–2025, UC claimants rose from 3.06 million to 4.17 million, the largest end‑of‑year jump since the pandemic support uplift, which lasted from April 2020 to October 2021.
Numbers show a shift toward claimants not required to work, as not‑required‑to‑work claimants rose from 3.06 million to 4.17 million while claimants in work fell slightly from 2.25 million to 2.19 million.
The Government plans a rebalancing of Universal Credit from April to reduce the long‑term sickness and unemployment payment gap and aims to complete the roll‑out in 2026, with transfers by March.
Labour frames the rise against reforms, saying it 'inherited a broken welfare system and spiralling, unsustainable benefits bill' while tightening Universal Credit claim rules.

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