Britain's disability benefits bill soars as number of middle-class families receiving payments has doubled in past FOUR years to nearly 200,000

Published: 09:44, 7 June 2026 | Updated: 09:48, 7 June 2026 The number of middle–class families in Britain receiving disability benefits has nearly doubled over the past four years. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates suggest that almost 200,000 households with annual incomes exceeding £100,000 are now receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a benefit designed to support people with long–term physical or mental health conditions and is not means–tested. The figures are likely to intensify scrutiny of welfare spending and the scale of reform needed to curb the growing benefits bill. The number of people claiming PIP has reached a record 3.9million. The benefit currently costs taxpayers around £26billion a year, with spending projected to rise to £41billion by the end of the decade. Critics have accused Labour of backing away from welfare reform despite the escalating cost.  Last year, Labour rebels forced Sir Keir Starmer to abandon plans to take a tougher approach to controlling the PIP bill. Concerns have also grown over the sharp increase in claims linked to mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and ADHD.  Psychiatric disorders now account for 39 per cent of all PIP claims, making them by far the largest category. Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of significantly watering down disability benefits Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced welfare reforms that extended award review periods to reduce reassessment stress, while adjusting the strict PIP eligibility threshold following parliamentary concessions Your browser does not support iframes. The TaxPayers' Alliance highlighted the figures in its submission to the Timms Review, the government–commissioned assessment of the disability benefit system. According to estimates from the DWP's annual Family Resources Survey, around 197,000 households with a gross annual income of more than £104,000 received PIP in 2024–25.  That compares with approximately 98,000 households in 2021–22, the earliest year for which comparable data is available following changes to the survey's methodology. Personal Independence Payment (Pip) is a payment to help with extra living costs if you have both a long–term physical or mental health condition or disability; and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition. There are two parts to Pip: 1) a daily living part, if you need help with everyday tasks; and 2) a mobility part, if you need help with getting around You might get the daily living part of PIP if you need help with: preparing food; eating and drinking; managing your medicines or treatments; washing and bathing; using the toilet; dressing and undressing; reading; managing your money; socialising and being around other people; or talking, listening and understanding. You might get the mobility part of Pip if you need help with working out a route and following it; physically moving around; or leaving your home. The Department for Work and Pensions assesses how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they'll look at whether you can do it safely; how long it takes you; and whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment. More than 3.9million claimants receive a Pip payment of between £121.20 and £778.40 every four weeks. Spending on disability benefits is forecast to rise from £39.1billion in 2023/24 to £58.1billion in 2028/29, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. This total would represent around 4 per cent of total public spending, and 2 per cent of GDP. Government figures show the number of claimants has almost doubled in seven years, rising from 2.05million in January 2019 to 3.93million in January 2026.  PIP recipients received an average of £6,900 each in 2023–24.  Ministers have argued that the surge in mental health–related claims has contributed to a growing backlog in the assessment system, prompting concerns about the long–term sustainability of welfare spending.  Shimeon Lee, a spokesman for the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will be concerned that ministers appear to be reducing checks and extending awards for longer periods. 'With the welfare bill already ballooning, fewer reviews risk making it harder to ensure support reflects claimants' current circumstances.' From this month, new PIP recipients aged 25 and over will generally receive awards lasting four years before a review, up from nine months previously. Following a second assessment, some claimants may not face another review for six years.  Younger people account for an increasing share of claimants. Those aged 16 to 29 made up 16.6 per cent of PIP recipients in January, compared with 14.6 per cent in 2019.  Official minutes show the Government warned that without action, there was a risk the assessment system could 'fall over' if capacity pressures were not addressed.  The Government's independent welfare watchdog, the Social Security Advisory Committee, has previously raised concerns about the decision to lengthen the gap between PIP reviews and requested a clearer explanation of the policy.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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