The number of affluent households receiving disability benefits in the UK has nearly doubled in four years, according to new Whitehall figures that are intensifying scrutiny of Britain’s rapidly expanding welfare bill.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates show that almost 200,000 households earning more than £100,000 a year are now claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a benefit intended to support people with long-term physical or mental health conditions. The payment is not means-tested, meaning eligibility does not depend on household income or wealth.
The figures come as overall PIP claims have reached a record 3.9 million, with annual spending now around £26 billion and forecast to rise to £41 billion by the end of the decade. The widening cost has placed additional pressure on ministers already struggling to contain welfare spending amid tighter fiscal conditions.
Data from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, submitted to the Government’s Timms Review of disability benefits, suggests that around 197,000 high-income households received PIP in 2024–25, compared with approximately 98,000 in 2021–22. The estimates are based on the DWP’s Family Resources Survey, which tracks household incomes alongside benefit receipt.
PIP is awarded to individuals who face difficulties with daily living or mobility due to long-term conditions. It is divided into two components: daily living support, which covers tasks such as cooking, washing, dressing and managing finances, and a mobility component for those with difficulty travelling or moving independently. Payments currently range from £121.20 to £778.40 every four weeks, depending on assessed need.
The rise in claims has been driven largely by an increase in cases linked to mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and ADHD. These now account for 39 per cent of all awards, making them the largest single category within the system.
Government figures show the number of recipients has almost doubled in seven years, rising from just over 2 million in 2019 to nearly 4 million in 2026. Younger claimants are also forming a larger share of the caseload, with those aged 16 to 29 increasing to 16.6 per cent of recipients.
Officials warn that the growing volume of claims is placing strain on the assessment system, with internal documents suggesting that, without reform, capacity pressures could overwhelm processing infrastructure.
In response, ministers have adjusted rules around award durations, extending review periods for many claimants in an effort to reduce administrative pressure and repeated reassessments. Some new awards for those aged 25 and over will now last up to four years before review, with the possibility of six-year gaps after reassessment.
The policy shift has drawn criticism from campaigners, who argue that longer awards reduce oversight of eligibility. The TaxPayers’ Alliance warned that fewer reviews could make it harder to ensure payments reflect current circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Office for Budget Responsibility expects total disability spending to rise to £58.1 billion by 2028–29, equivalent to around 2 per cent of GDP. With costs rising faster than most other areas of public spending, welfare reform is expected to remain a central issue in the government’s upcoming Timms Review
