Introduction
The number of people in the United Kingdom receiving unemployment benefits without a requirement to seek work has reached four million, according to the latest government figures.
increase, revealed by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data, highlights a shift in welfare trends since the Covid-19 pandemic, with a particular rise in claims relating to sickness and disability. As costs for sickness and disability support escalate, policymakers and analysts are examining the factors behind these changes and their broader economic and social implications.
Overview of Welfare Claimants
Out of approximately eight million people currently claiming Universal Credit or related benefits, half are exempt from job-seeking obligations. Several eligibility categories exist for exemption, including parents with young children, individuals with substantial caring responsibilities, people in full-time education, and those with terminal illnesses.
However, DWP statistics indicate that the majority of those excused from work activity requirements cite ill health. These claimants may receive an additional sickness-related payment, further increasing the overall welfare expenditure.
Mental Health and Increased Sickness Benefit Claims
DWP data shows that 2.2 million Universal Credit claimants have been assessed as long-term sick and consequently are not required to search for work. This represents a marked increase compared to pre-pandemic figures, with the number of sickness-based exemptions having risen sharply.
Women currently account for a greater proportion of sickness benefits claimants compared to men. Claimants previously on Employment and Support Allowance, a legacy benefit that also serves people with long-term illnesses or disabilities, are in the process of being transferred to Universal Credit. A further 300,000 people are presently awaiting work capability assessments that will determine their future work search obligations.
A majority of recent exemptions are linked to mental or behavioural disorders. DWP records confirm that about two thirds of those assessed for work capability between January 2022 and May 2025 cited such conditions. An increase in claims for disability benefits related to anxiety and depression has coincided with this broader trend.
Demographic Shifts in Benefit Claimants
Historical trends in welfare receipt have changed. The proportion of women economically inactive due to childcare responsibilities has declined, with numbers near a record low of 1.3 million according to the Office for National Statistics. Labour market reforms since 2008 and policy efforts to encourage single parents’ participation in the workforce have contributed to this shift.
Meanwhile, individuals above the age of 50 now represent a growing share of those on Universal Credit without job search conditions. DWP figures from October 2025 show that 1.5 million over-50s were exempt from work requirements, compared to 750,000 under-30s.
The number of older claimants in this category has grown significantly faster than among younger adults since before the pandemic.
Long-Term Welfare Dependence
Many individuals remain on welfare for extended periods. Of the four million claimants not required to look for work, approximately 1.3 million have been receiving Universal Credit for at least five years.
A portion around half a million have held this status for between five and six years. The move from legacy benefits to Universal Credit has accelerated since the summer of 2023, with about 750,000 people completing the transition during this period.
Nonetheless, long-term dependency persists under both the former and current systems.
Impact of Covid-19 on Assessment Procedures
Policy and operational changes during the pandemic contributed to the recent trends. In March 2020, the government suspended face-to-face benefit assessments, shifting towards remote or paper-based evaluations.
While most Covid-19 restrictions ended in March 2022, in-person assessments have not been widely reinstated. Former Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith has criticised the post-pandemic procedures, stating that the suspension of in-person checks removed critical safeguards, resulting in more individuals being excused from work requirements.
This prolonged period of remote assessments, he argues, has compounded the growth in benefit recipients without job obligations.
Final Summary
The surge in the number of Universal Credit claimants exempt from work requirements is reshaping the UK's welfare landscape.
Driven largely by increased claims relating to long-term sickness and mental health, and impacted by policy changes during the Covid-19 pandemic, the trend has raised concerns regarding fiscal sustainability and social policy outcomes.
Analysts point to the need for balanced reform that supports those with genuine need while encouraging pathways into employment for others. Policymakers continue to seek strategies to address the long-term implications of this shift.
