REVEALED: Number of PIP claimants in England and Wales

Jun 30 2025

Embargoed: 22:30, Sunday 29th June 2025

  • Almost one in ten Brits receive personal independence payments in England and Wales.

  • Local authority area with highest number of claimants according to latest data is Blaenau Gwent, Wales, with 211 per 1,000.

  • New benefits dashboard from the TaxPayers’ Alliance reveals dramatic increase in number of benefit claimants with full breakdown by constituency, region, local authority area and more.

It has emerged today (30th June) that almost one in ten Brits receive personal independence payments in England and Wales, with 108 local authority areas out of 318 coming in above one in ten.

A new benefits dashboard released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance lays bare the dramatic surge in the number of benefit claimants ahead of a significant vote on Tuesday which aims to slow the escalating cost of personal independence payments (PIP).

TPA analysis revealed that there were 858,142 PIP claimants in the constituencies of the 110 English and Welsh MPs who signed a reasoned amendment aimed at bringing down the government’s landmark benefits bill. This amounted to 112 out of every 1,000 people across these constituencies.

The new benefits dashboard breaks down the number of claimants of various benefits including PIP using a number of geographical areas including region, local authority, constituency and postcode. The local authority area with the highest number of PIP claimants per 1,000 people was Blaenau Gwent in Wales, with 211 per 1,000. Across the UK the number of PIP claimants has increased by 109 per cent since January 2019. The constituency with the highest number of PIP claimants per 1,000 people was Liverpool Walton, with 226 per 1,000.

The dashboard also includes a full breakdown of the different conditions which people have used to claim the mobility component of enhanced PIP, which can be used for the motability scheme, a scheme where a new car is purchased using the higher rate of PIP. The condition with the largest absolute increase in the number of people claiming enhanced PIP between January 2019 and March 2025 was for autism which increased from 26,256 to 114,211.


CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL DASHBOARD

CLICK HERE FOR A COLLECTION OF DATA TABLES

Key findings:

  • There are 108 local authorities in England and Wales where more than one in ten residents claim PIP. In total an average of 97.1 per 1,000 people across England and Wales claim PIP.

  • The ten local authority areas with the most claimants per 1,000 people were:
    • Blaenau Gwent, with 211 per 1,000
    • Merthyr Tydfil, with 204 per 1,000
    • Knowsley, with 198 per 1,000
    • Neath Port Talbot, with 195 per 1,000
    • Caerphilly, with 188 per 1,000
    • Hartlepool, with 187 per 1,000
    • Blackpool, with 185 per 1,000
    • Torfaen, with 177 per 1,000
    • Sunderland, with 173 per 1,000
    • Rhondda Cynon Taf, with 173 per 1,000
  • The ten constituencies with the most claimants per 1,000 people were:
    • Liverpool Walton, with 226 per 1,000
    • Easington, with 221 per 1,000
    • Blaenau Gwent, with 221 per 1,000
    • Aberafan Maesteg, with 214 per 1,000
    • Knowsley, with 212 per 1,000
    • Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, with 204 per 1,000
    • Rhondda and Ogmore, with 199 per 1,000
    • Bootle, with 197 per 1,000
    • Birkenhead, with 197 per 1,000
    • Blackpool South, with 193 per 1,000
  • The region with the most claimants per 1,000 is Wales, at 147.7. However the region with the largest increase between January 2019 and April 2025 is the East of England, which saw a 118 per cent increase.

  • The number of people claiming the mobility component of enhanced PIP, which gives the claimant access to the motability scheme, increased by 142 per cent between January 2019 and April 2025. There is now a total of 1.9 million claimants, or 50 per 1,000 people on average.
    • The number of people claiming for autism increased from 26,256 to 114,211

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL DASHBOARD

CLICK HERE FOR A COLLECTION OF DATA TABLES

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:

"It’s no exaggeration to say that this is becoming an emergency for taxpayers, as the number of PIP claimants spirals out of control.

“And yet even minor adjustments that seek not to reverse this rate of increase but instead to simply slow it down seem to be beyond the pale for this profligate posse of Labour MPs.

“Politicians across the spectrum need to now put country over party and radically reform the benefits system to avoid it crippling the nation’s finances while ensuring that more and more people are liberated from a life of benefits and dependency.”

 

TPA spokespeople are available for live and pre-recorded broadcast interviews via 07795 084 113 (no texts)


Regional breakdown:

In the East Midlands:

  • 313,915 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 101.8 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 115 per cent from January 2019.

  • East Lindsey had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 people at 163.7, with 13,005 out of a population of 79,464.

In the East of England

  • 328,640 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 83.4 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 118 per cent from January 2019.

  • Great Yarmouth had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 people at 160.6, with 9,376 out of a population of 58,379.

In London

  • 444,544 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 70.1 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 114 per cent from January 2019.

  • Enfield had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 people at 97.7, with 20,484 out of a population of 209,704.

In the North East

  • 242,414 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 146.9 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 89 per cent from January 2019.

  • Hartlepool had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 187.3, with 10,900 out of a population of 58,204.

In the North West

  • 593,110 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 125 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 98 per cent from January 2019.

  • Blackpool had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 185, with 16,240 out of a population of 87,791.

In the South East

  • 428,856 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 74.6 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 117 per cent from January 2019.

  • Thanet had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 151, with 12,313 out of a population of 81,550.

In the South West

  • 317,857 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 87 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 106 per cent from January 2019.

  • Torbay had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 144.1, with 11,481 out of a population of 79,652.

In Wales

  • 278,463 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 147.7 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 88 per cent from January 2019.

  • Blaenau Gwent had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 210.7, with 8,766 out of a population of 41,607. This is also the highest in England and Wales.

In the West Midlands

  • 396,805 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 99.5 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 102 per cent from January 2019.

  • Stoke-on-Trent had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 134, with 21,948 out of a population of 163,815.

In Yorkshire and the Humber

  • 391,308 people were claiming PIP in April 2025, an average of 116.9 per 1,000 people. This was an increase of 112 per cent from January 2019.

  • Barnsley had the most PIP claimants per 1,000 at 158, with 24,242 out of a population of 153,395.

 

Media contact:

William Yarwood
Media Campaign Manager, TaxPayers' Alliance
[email protected]
24-hour media hotline: 07795 084 113 (no texts)


Notes to editors:

  1. Founded in 2004 by Matthew Elliott and Andrew Allum, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) campaigns to reform taxes and public services, cut waste and speak up for British taxpayers. Find out more at www.taxpayersalliance.com.

  2. TaxPayers' Alliance's research council.

  3. The TPA’s benefits dashboard contains national, regional and local data for a range of benefits, including personal independence payments. It is currently in beta mode and can be found here. Feedback is welcome and should be submitted to Darwin Friend, head of research at the TaxPayers’ Alliance. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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