DWP · people
Disability benefits caseload under each government
The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.
| Government | Inherited | Left at / latest | Change during government |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – present | Fewer than two periods have been published during this government, so no change is shown yet. | ||
| Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 2024 | 5,278,000Year ending March 2019 | 5,958,000Year ending March 2024 | ↑ 12.9%+680,000 |
| Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 2019 | 5,278,000Year ending March 2017 | 5,278,000Year ending March 2019 | → 0.0%0 |
| Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 2017 | 5,031,000Year ending March 2015 | 5,278,000Year ending March 2017 | ↑ 4.9%+247,000 |
| Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 2015 | 4,909,000Year ending March 2010 | 5,031,000Year ending March 2015 | ↑ 2.5%+122,000 |
| Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 2010 | 4,290,000Year ending March 2005 | 4,909,000Year ending March 2010 | ↑ 14.4%+619,000 |
| Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 2005 | 3,719,000Year ending March 2001 | 4,290,000Year ending March 2005 | ↑ 15.4%+571,000 |
| Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 2001 | 3,144,000Year ending March 1997 | 3,719,000Year ending March 2001 | ↑ 18.3%+575,000 |
| Conservative 1992–199710 April 1992 – 2 May 1997 | 1,642,000Year ending March 1992 | 3,144,000Year ending March 1997 | ↑ 91.5%+1,502,000 |
| Conservative 1987–199212 June 1987 – 9 April 1992 | 1,033,000Year ending March 1987 | 1,642,000Year ending March 1992 | ↑ 59.0%+609,000 |
| Conservative 1983–198710 June 1983 – 11 June 1987 | 602,000Year ending March 1983 | 1,033,000Year ending March 1987 | ↑ 71.6%+431,000 |
| Conservative 1979–19834 May 1979 – 9 June 1983 | 339,000Year ending March 1979 | 602,000Year ending March 1983 | ↑ 77.6%+263,000 |