Civometry

DWP · 13 December 2019 – 5 July 2024

Benefit expenditure on pensioners during the Conservative 2019–2024 government

Year ending March 2019 → Year ending March 2024 · 5 periods

↑ 27.6%+£33.6bn £ million

Benefit expenditure on pensioners rose by 27.6% over the period, from £121.6bn £ million (Year ending March 2019, the level when the government took office) to £155.2bn (Year ending March 2024, the last complete period before it left office).

  1. Inherited level Year ending March 2019: £121.6bn
  2. Level when it left Year ending March 2024: £155.2bn
  3. method: latest complete period before start / before end

Changes during this period do not by themselves show what the government caused. Statistics reflect many influences, including earlier decisions, the economy and how the data is collected.

Benefit expenditure on pensioners: Year ending March 1979 to Year ending March 2025ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour050k100k150k19801990200020102020Year ending March 1979: £9.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1980: £10.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1981: £12.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1982: £15.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1983: £17.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1984: £18.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1985: £19.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1986: £21.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1987: £23.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1988: £24.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1989: £26.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1990: £28.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1991: £31.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1992: £35.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1993: £38.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1994: £41.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1995: £42.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1996: £44.5bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1997: £46.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1998: £48.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 1999: £50.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2000: £53.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2001: £57.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2002: £61.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2003: £63.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2004: £66.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2005: £71.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2006: £75.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2007: £77.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2008: £83.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2009: £90.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2010: £96.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2011: £100.3bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2012: £104.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2013: £109.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2014: £110.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2015: £114.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2016: £116.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2017: £117.7bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2018: £119.4bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2019: £121.6bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2020: £123.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2021: £125.8bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2022: £128.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2023: £137.1bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2024: £155.2bn £ million · published 26 March 2026Year ending March 2025: £164.9bn £ million · published 26 March 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Definition and caveats

DWP benefit spending on people over State Pension age in the financial year, in cash terms, dominated by the State Pension.

Doesn’t measure: Private or occupational pensions, or NHS and social care costs.