Official Statistics

Quick guide to published tables and results for financial year ending 2025

Published 22 October 2026

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

There are two types of tables presented in this publication:

1. contains statistics related to the caseload measure of take-up.
2. contains statistics related to the expenditure measure of take-up.

The following illustrations are intended as a guide to interpreting the tables for each benefit. Data for financial year ending (FYE) 2010 to FYE 2018 does not appear here but it is in the main tables. Some FYE 2021 figures are missing as data was not published for this year due to data issues following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Missing data is represented by [x] within this guide.

The examples below are for Pension Credit but the same principles apply for Housing Benefit (for pensioners) and Universal Credit (UC) or equivalent benefits tables.

1. Understanding tables presenting caseload take-up statistics

Key parts of a take-up caseload table:

Pension Credit Overall, Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit only columns - these different columns are to be used to compare statistics for different benefit components or demographic groupings. They will be different on other Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Universal Credit or equivalent benefits tables, due to exclusions in our estimates, such as non-private households.

Number of recipients - this shows the average number of recipients across the year (in private households) based on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) administrative sources.

Estimated number of entitled non-recipients (with range) - this shows the estimate of people who did not claim the Pension Credit benefit, that were entitled to, based on Policy Simulation Model (PSM) data.

Estimated caseload take-up (with range) – this shows estimated take-up percentages. The first number shows the central estimate, with the data in brackets showing the lower bound and upper bound estimates.

Figure 1: An example table to help with understanding caseload take-up statistics

Example: An average of 1.33 million benefit units were receiving Pension Credit in FYE 2025. In FYE 2025, between 730 thousand and 900 thousand benefit units, with a central point estimate of 820 thousand, were not claiming the Pension Credit to which they were entitled. This was equivalent to an estimated take-up of between 60% and 64%, with a central point estimate of 62%.

Refer across columns to compare statistics for different benefit components or demographic groupings.

2. Understanding tables presenting expenditure take-up statistics

Key parts of a take-up expenditure table:

Pension Credit Overall, Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit only columns - these different columns are to be used to compare statistics for different benefit components or demographic groupings. They will be different on other Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Universal Credit or equivalent benefits tables.

Mean weekly amount claimed - this shows the average weekly amount of benefit received (by those in private households) based on DWP administrative sources.

Mean weekly amount unclaimed and Median weekly amount unclaimed - these averages are used to present a picture of what the ‘typical’ unclaimed amounts are. Mean (average) amounts unclaimed alone may present a distorted picture of the typical amount where they are affected by small or very large values. Presenting the median alongside the mean in this way helps present a more balanced picture of the typical amounts unclaimed. These values are based on PSM data.

Figure 2:The top half of an expenditure table to help with understanding expenditure take-up statistics

Refer across columns to compare statistics for different benefit components or demographic groupings.

Total amount claimed - This shows the total amount of Pension Credit received (by those in private households) over the course of the year based on DWP administrative sources.

Estimated amount unclaimed (with range) - this shows the total amount of Pension Credit estimated to have been left unclaimed, based on PSM data.

Estimated expenditure take-up (with range) - this shows estimated take-up percentages. The first number shows the central estimate, with the data in brackets showing the lower bound and upper bound estimates.

Figure 3: The bottom half of an expenditure table to help with understanding expenditure take-up statistics

Note, our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).