Support for welfare handouts among the British public has reached near-historic lows, according to findings from the British Social Attitudes survey. The study indicates that the proportion of people in favor of welfare spending is at its lowest point in nearly three decades.
However, the survey also revealed a significant divergence in public opinion regarding specific types of benefits. While overall support for welfare spending has diminished, there is little appetite for cutting benefits for disabled people who are unable to work, suggesting that such measures would be politically risky for any government.
"Support for spending on disabled people who cannot work - and for carers, parents on very low incomes, and retired people - is now lower than at any point since these questions were first asked in 1998," the survey noted, though it acknowledged that figures were slightly lower in 2009. Despite this trend, support for these groups remains substantial.
Currently, only seven percent of the public believes there should be less spending on disability benefits, while 49 percent advocate for increased spending, even if it necessitates higher taxes. This aligns with a broader decrease in support for welfare spending overall.
The public appears to differentiate between those with disabilities preventing them from working and the general unemployed population. The study found that only 11 percent of individuals who oppose increasing welfare spending also favor reducing outlays on disabled people. In contrast, 67 percent of this group support spending reductions for the unemployed.
Dr. Robert de Vries, a senior lecturer in quantitative sociology at the University of Kent and co-author of the report, stated, "Despite growing political divisions on welfare, support for disability benefits remains remarkably strong." He added, "Very few people favour cuts, disabled people are seen as among the most deserving recipients of support, and proposals to reduce disability benefits appear politically risky across the political spectrum."
Political leanings also show a notable pattern. Support for cutting disability benefits spending is low even among voters of parties with more conservative platforms, with only seven percent of Conservative voters and 11 percent of Reform voters expressing such a view. The situation is almost reversed for unemployment benefits, where even Green Party voters, who are generally most supportive of welfare spending, are divided on increasing or decreasing outlays.
The survey also indicated a shift in priorities, with disabled people now being considered a higher priority for extra welfare spending than pensioners, reversing a previous trend.
These findings emerge ahead of a government-commissioned review of the disability benefits system, slated for publication in the autumn. This review was announced following a parliamentary rebellion against proposed changes to eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a key disability benefit in England.
Data from the Department for Work & Pensions shows that the number of individuals claiming PIP has surpassed four million, approximately doubling since 2019. Consequently, spending on PIP has risen significantly, from £16.3 billion in 2019/20 to an estimated £27.3 billion in 2024/25, with projections indicating a further rise to £41.5 billion by 2030/31.
The British Social Attitudes report acknowledged that the survey was conducted in autumn 2025, shortly after the government's unsuccessful attempt at PIP reforms. This timing might have influenced respondents to be particularly supportive of disability benefits at that moment.