The growing obesity crisis is placing a severe and escalating financial burden on both the National Health Service and the wider welfare system, new figures reveal. Taxpayers have paid out close to £144 million since 2019 to support thousands of benefit claimants whose primary disabling condition is obesity.
Sharp Rise in Personal Independence Payments
According to Freedom of Information data obtained by digital healthcare provider ZAVA from the Department for Work and Pensions, the number of people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for obesity has surged. By 2025, the figure reached 4,413 claimants, marking a dramatic 59% increase from the 2,780 individuals recorded in January 2019.
This growth accelerated sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, claims rose by 11%, reaching 3,093 recipients. Public Health England surveys from that period provide context, finding that more than 40% of adults in England gained weight during lockdowns, putting on an average of 4.1kg each.
Success rates for these claims are notably high. Data shows that 78% of obesity-related PIP applications are successful, compared to a general success rate of just 52% across all conditions. Furthermore, a significant 2023 tribunal ruling established that overeating could be considered for PIP eligibility when linked to an underlying physical or mental health condition.
Regional Hotspots and Expert Insight
The burden of obesity-related benefit claims is not evenly spread across the UK. The North West of England has the highest number of PIP recipients, with 644 people currently receiving support. London follows closely with 606 claimants, and the West Midlands ranks third with 528 cases.
Dr Crystal Wyllie from ZAVA commented on the troubling link between health and economic inactivity. "Obesity is an epidemic across the world, but within the UK, we can see a natural link to unemployment," she said. "A recent Gallup poll demonstrated that the longer an individual is unemployed, the higher the rates of obesity, reaching up to 32.7% after one year of unemployment."
Dr Wyllie emphasised the need for systemic change: "Tackling obesity from the top down is key here with changes to policies, healthcare initiatives, and food regulation across the nation." She pointed to recent restrictions on multibuy deals for unhealthy foods, which came into effect on 1st October, as a positive step expected to deliver £2 billion in health benefits and £180 million in NHS savings over 25 years.
Welfare System Shifts and Data Collection
While PIP claims for obesity have climbed, support through the legacy Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has fallen. By February 2025, only 800 people across Britain were still receiving ESA for obesity, a 43% reduction since 2020. This shift coincides with the DWP's ongoing migration of all remaining legacy benefit claimants onto Universal Credit, a move officials say aims to simplify support delivery.
The data behind these revelations was gathered through a Freedom of Information request submitted to the DWP in October 2025. It specifically asked how many adults applied for PIP with obesity as their main disabling condition and what percentage were successful. The findings were supplemented using the DWP's own Stat-Xplore online statistics platform.
Overall, the figures indicate that more than 5,000 people are now receiving benefits where obesity is the primary condition, a number that has risen sharply over the past six years. With nearly 60% of obesity-related PIP claimants also eligible for the Government's Motability vehicle scheme, the total cost to the public purse continues to mount, underscoring the profound economic impact of the nation's health challenges.
