Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the increase in the welfare budget in the financial year 2025–26; and what is the estimated rise over the next financial year.

The Office for Budget Responsibility project that welfare spending in 2025-26 will be £332.9billion compared to spending of £314.8billion in 2024-25, an increase of £18.1billion in nominal terms.

In 2026-27 welfare spending is projected to be £352.8billion, an increase of £19.9billion in nominal terms compared to 2025-26.

Welfare spending is consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook and includes expenditure on benefits paid by DWP (including working age and pensioner benefits such as the State Pension), HMRC (such as Tax Credits and Child Benefit), and Northern Ireland Social Security expenditure.