Official Statistics

Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 8 July 2021

Official experimental statistics for the number of people on Universal Credit.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Universal Credit data tables (on Stat-Xplore)

Supplementary data tables for Universal Credit, up to May 2021

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Details

The latest release of these statistics can be found in the collection of Universal Credit statistics.

These experimental statistics contain data for the total number of people:

  • who have submitted a claim for Universal Credit with a personal declaration to 8 July 2021
  • who have made a claim and have attended an initial interview, accepted their claimant commitment, and gone on to start Universal Credit up to 8 July 2021
  • who are on Universal Credit at 8 July 2021

They also contain data for the total number of households on Universal Credit at 13 May 2021.

Read the background information and methodology note for guidance on these statistics, such as timeliness, uses, and procedures.

Notices

Data on Stat-Xplore

Users are advised that data relating to the following will be available on Stat-Xplore on 26 August 2021 at 9.30am:

  • Removal of Spare Room Subsidy
  • Local Housing Allowance
  • Broad Rental Market Area

Until this data is available on Stat-Xplore, it is available in the supplementary data tables accompanying this release. This is due to the late availability of the data.

Changes from this release

Users are advised of the following changes from this release:

  • new statistics on Children in Universal Credit households
  • methodology change to family types for data from April 2019
  • geography data for People on Universal Credit and Households on Universal Credit may be out of date

Non-media enquiries about this can be sent by email to: team.ucos@dwp.gov.uk

Proposed changes to Universal Credit statistics in forthcoming releases

New statistics intended for release in November 2021

Users are invited to comment on our intention to publish new statistics on bedroom entitlement. These will be part of the Removal of Spare Room Subsidy statistics in Households on Universal Credit from November 2021.

Intention to withdraw measures in the claims and starts series

We are seeking views from users on an intention to withdraw the following measures.

Claims made by day

Statistics on claims are currently available by week and by day. It is intended to stop publishing the daily time series for claims. Instead, time periods will be available by month and by week. Months will represent the period between count dates as they currently do for starts. This is to make the claims series more consistent with other series in Universal Credit statistics.

Individuals counts for claims and starts

Claims and starts have two counts available: total and individuals. The individuals measure has been temporarily withdrawn due to technical issues on producing this measure on Stat-Xplore. As Universal Credit statistics counts all claims made by an individual within a 30-day period as one claim, there is no difference between individuals and totals in the monthly time periods available on Stat-Xplore for claims and starts. It is intended to permanently withdraw this measure.

If the withdrawal of either of these measures would affect you, please inform us of your use of these measures by 28 September 2021.

Interactive tools

View statistics on the Universal Credit claimants at Jobcentre Plus office level on a regional interactive map

View an interactive map which shows statistics on households on Universal Credit at Local Authority level.

View an interactive dashboard of the latest Universal Credit household statistics by region.

Pre-release access

In addition to staff who are responsible for the production and quality assurance of the statistics, up to 24-hour pre-release access is provided to ministers and other officials. We publish the job titles and organisations of the people who have been granted up to 24-hour pre-release access to the latest Universal Credit statistics.

Next releases

The publication dates for the next monthly and quarterly releases are listed in the statistics release calendar.

Updates to this page

Published 17 August 2021

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