Benefit expenditure on working-age people during the Labour 1997–2001 government
Year ending March 1997 → Year ending March 2001 · 4 periods
↓ 7.3%−£2.5bn £ million
Benefit expenditure on working-age people fell by 7.3% over the period, from £34.2bn £ million (Year ending March 1997, the level when the government took office) to £31.7bn (Year ending March 2001, the last complete period before it left office).
Inherited level Year ending March 1997: £34.2bn
Level when it left Year ending March 2001: £31.7bn
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.
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 of working age in the financial year, in cash terms, including Universal Credit, disability and incapacity benefits and housing support.
Doesn’t measure: Whether recipients are in work: Universal Credit is paid to many working households.