Guidance

Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: guidance and methodology

Background information and guidance on the benefit expenditure and caseload tables.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 20 September 2013
• Last updated: 14 April 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 14 April 2026

     Updated figures under "Social security spending in the United Kingdom and the welfare cap" and "Social security spending in Great Britain".

  2. 18 December 2025

     Added the up to date 2025 figures and links in 'Guidance and methodology: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables'

  3. 23 April 2025

     Revised guidance and methodology, updated to support the publication of the Outturn and forecast tables: Spring Statement 2025 tables on 23 April 2025.

  4. 21 November 2024

     Updated Guidance and methodology: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables sections 'Social security spending in the United Kingdom and the welfare cap' and 'Social security spending in Great Britain'. Also, updated link to GDP Deflator.

  5. 19 April 2024

     Revised guidance and methodology, updated to support the publication of the 'Outturn and Forecast tables: Spring Budget 2024' tables on 22 April 2024.

  6. 21 December 2023

     2 separate guidance and methodology documents have been combined into a single guidance and methodology document. The latest 'Outturn and forecast tables' (for Autumn Budget 2023) have been published today (21 December 2023).

  7. 21 November 2018

     Revised guidance and methodology, updated to support the publication of the 'Outturn and forecast: Autumn Budget 2018' tables on 21 November 2018.

  8. 12 July 2018

     Added guidance about the methodology used in the benefit expenditure and caseload tables.

  9. 21 December 2017

     Revised guidance, updated to support the publication of the 'Outturn and forecast: Autumn Budget 2017' and 'Benefit expenditure by Parliamentary constituency, 2010/11 to 2016/17' tables, on 21 December 2017.

  10. 20 September 2013

      First published.

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Guidance and methodology: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables

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Benefit expenditure and caseload tables provide historic and forecast benefit expenditure and caseload data.

Read the Benefit expenditure and caseload tables.