Sharp Rise in Universal Credit Claimants Not Required to Work
New statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have revealed a dramatic shift in the profile of Universal Credit claimants across Great Britain. The data shows that the number of households claiming UC who are not required to seek employment has surged by more than one million in a single year.
As of October 2025, this 'no work requirements' group reached four million people, accounting for almost half (48.7%) of all claimants. This marks a significant increase from 2.9 million people in this category just one year earlier, in October 2024.
Breaking Down the Universal Credit Caseload
The overall number of people claiming Universal Credit has also seen a substantial rise. In October 2025, there were 8.3 million people on UC, up from 7.2 million at the same time last year.
This year-on-year increase of 1.1 million represents the largest annual jump in total claimants since the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the rise of 159,654 claimants between September and October 2025 was the biggest monthly increase since June 2020.
The surge over the past 12 months has been almost entirely driven by the growth in the 'no work requirements' category. This group has expanded from representing 36.3% of all claims in October 2023 to 40.4% in October 2024, and now to 48.7% in October 2025.
Who is in the 'No Work Requirements' Category?
This specific group of claimants includes individuals who are not expected to look for work to receive their benefits. It encompasses:
- Full-time students
- People over the state pension age
- Parents with a child under one year old
- Those deemed to have limited capability for work-related activity
In contrast, other claimants must undertake specific work-related activities, such as attending job interviews or actively seeking employment, to qualify for their payments. In October, 1.6 million people were in the 'searching for work' category, whilst 2.2 million working individuals still received UC to top up their income. Both of these figures have remained stable compared to the previous year.
Government Response and Wider Context
The Labour Government has stated it 'inherited a broken welfare system and spiralling, unsustainable benefits bill' from the previous Conservative administration. It is now implementing reforms, which include stricter eligibility criteria for Universal Credit claims.
A DWP spokesperson commented: 'The number of people receiving Universal Credit has been increasing as we have invited tens of thousands of people each month to move from legacy benefits as they become phased out. We’re determined to get more people off welfare and into work.'
The spokesperson also outlined the government's plan to 'Get Britain Working', which involves modernising jobcentres and providing tailored support. A key initiative is the Youth Guarantee, which will offer guaranteed paid work to every eligible young person who has been on Universal Credit for 18 months without earning or learning.
The data, which covers England, Scotland, and Wales, underscores the ongoing challenges and changing dynamics within the UK's social security landscape.