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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Alicja Hagopian and David Maddox

One in five Britons now claiming benefits

  • Britain's welfare bill has skyrocketed, with 23 per cent of the working-age population now receiving benefits.
  • Analysis of government figures by The Independent shows more than one in five people aged 16-64 now claims some form of benefit, such as the personal independence payment (PIP), universal credit (UC), or housing benefit.
  • Labour is aiming to reduce the welfare budget by £5 billion, focusing on sickness benefits, which are considered unsustainable.
  • Over one million people with disabilities may be affected by stricter benefit eligibility rules.
  • Mental health conditions are a primary driver of sickness benefit claims in the UK, a trend also observed in other countries like Germany and Canada.
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