8.3 million
8.3 million people were on Universal Credit
Department for Work and Pensions · February 2026
Statistics collection
Universal Credit, State Pension, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Personal Independence Payment caseloads, as published by the Department for Work and Pensions in 2026.
All figures in this collection were last checked against source on 12 August 2026.
8.3 million
8.3 million people were on Universal Credit
Department for Work and Pensions · February 2026
7.2 million
7.2 million households were on Universal Credit
Department for Work and Pensions · February 2026
4.0 million
Four million people had entitlement to PIP
Department for Work and Pensions · 30 April 2026
13.2 million
13.2 million people were receiving State Pension
Department for Work and Pensions · August 2025
8.3 million
8.3 million people were on Universal Credit
8.3 million people were on Universal Credit in Great Britain in February 2026.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source830,000
Universal Credit caseload increased by 830,000 in a year
The number of people on Universal Credit increased by 830,000 between February 2025 and February 2026.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2025 to February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source7.2 million
7.2 million households were on Universal Credit
7.2 million households in Great Britain were on Universal Credit in February 2026.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source6.7 million
6.7 million UC households were due a payment
6.7 million households, equivalent to 93% of Universal Credit households, had a payment indicator.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source44%
44% of Universal Credit households receiving payment had children
44% of Universal Credit households receiving a payment had children.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source3.1 million
More than three million Universal Credit recipients were in employment
3.1 million people on Universal Credit were in employment in January 2026.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: January 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source37.8%
37.8% of people on Universal Credit were working
37.8% of people on Universal Credit were in work in January 2026.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: January 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source50%
Half of Universal Credit recipients had no work requirements
Around 50% of Universal Credit recipients were in the no-work-requirements conditionality regime.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source57%
Women represented 57% of Universal Credit recipients
57% of people on Universal Credit were women.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026
Period: February 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source13.2 million
13.2 million people were receiving State Pension
The State Pension caseload was 13.2 million, up 1.9% year on year.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — DWP benefit statistics: February 2026
Period: August 2025
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source1.4 million recipients
1.4 million people were receiving Pension Credit
1.4 million people received Pension Credit, with 1.6 million beneficiaries including partners.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — DWP benefit statistics: February 2026
Period: August 2025
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source1.5 million claims
Housing Benefit caseload had fallen to 1.5 million claims
There were 1.5 million Housing Benefit claims, down 25.6% year on year.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — DWP benefit statistics: February 2026
Period: November 2025
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source4.0 million
Four million people had entitlement to PIP
4.0 million people in England and Wales had entitlement to Personal Independence Payment.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Personal Independence Payment official statistics to April 2026
Period: 30 April 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source83%
Most PIP recipients were of working age
83% of PIP recipients — approximately 3.3 million people — were of working age.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Personal Independence Payment official statistics to April 2026
Period: April 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source37%
More than a third of PIP recipients received the highest award level
37% of PIP claims with entitlement received enhanced rates of both Daily Living and Mobility.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Personal Independence Payment official statistics to April 2026
Period: April 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source250,000
250,000 new PIP claims were registered in one quarter
250,000 new PIP claims were registered in the quarter ending April 2026.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Personal Independence Payment official statistics to April 2026
Period: Quarter ending April 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original source39%
Psychiatric disorders were the most common recorded PIP disabling-condition category
Psychiatric disorders represented 39% of normal-rules PIP claims.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions — Personal Independence Payment official statistics to April 2026
Period: April 2026
Last checked: 12 August 2026
View original sourceSupportFund, UK Benefits Statistics 2026, accessed 6 September 2026. https://supportfund.co.uk/media/collections/uk-benefits-statistics-2026