London had the largest bill for six main benefits of any region in England and Wales in the 12 months to March 2026, at £24.2bn, according to an analysis of official benefits data by the TaxPayers’ Alliance.
The North West was next at £18.7bn, followed by the South East at £16.4bn. The figures come from the campaign group’s Welfare Map, launched on 4 October 2026, which covers universal credit, personal independence payment, housing benefit, disability living allowance, carer’s allowance and employment and support allowance in each of the 575 parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales.
The constituencies
Tottenham had the largest bill of any constituency, at £624.9m, and Brent East the second largest, at £605.9m. All five constituencies with the highest universal credit spending were in London, the analysis found.
Hackney North and Stoke Newington recorded the largest cash increase of any constituency, with its bill rising by £148.3m in just over two years. Tottenham’s rose by £136.4m. East Ham’s bill was £415.6m, the 23rd highest.
Across England and Wales, spending on the six benefits was £133.1bn in the 12 months to March 2026, up from £107bn in the 12 months to February 2024, an increase of 24.4%. The lowest bill was in Sheffield Hallam, at £80.8m.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance, which campaigns for lower taxes, is calling for tougher benefit caps, tighter assessments and eligibility rules and wider means testing.
About the figures
The totals cover the six benefits named above, not all welfare spending. Differences between constituencies reflect the number of people receiving benefits, the value of their awards and the types of support claimed. Each constituency’s figures can be looked up on the TaxPayers’ Alliance Welfare Map.