Parliamentary constituency · 12 months to March 2026

Benefits spending in Wigan

£274.7m was paid out across six benefits in the Wigan constituency, about £2,584 per resident. That is 165th highest of 575 constituencies per person and 17.0% above the England and Wales figure of £2,209.

Six-benefit spending
£274.7m
160th of 575 by total
Per resident
£2,584
165th of 575 per person
Population (mid-2022)
106,304
ONS mid-year estimate

Which benefits are paid in Wigan

Benefits paid in Wigan by benefit
  • Universal Credit£150.9m

    54.9% of the six-benefit total

  • Personal Independence Payment£73.7m

    26.8% of the six-benefit total

  • Housing Benefit£24.5m

    8.9% of the six-benefit total

  • Disability Living Allowance£16.5m

    6.0% of the six-benefit total

  • Employment and Support Allowance£12.7m

    4.6% of the six-benefit total

  • Carer's Allowance£9.7m

    3.5% of the six-benefit total

Covers six benefits only: Universal Credit, PIP, Housing Benefit, DLA, Carer's Allowance and ESA. Excludes the State Pension, the largest welfare line. Compiled by the TaxPayers' Alliance from DWP Stat-Xplore, not a DWP borough publication. England and Wales, £133.1 billion in the 12 months to March 2026. Do not add this to the council budget: Housing Benefit is in both.

Constituencies with similar benefits spending per person

Wigan: common questions

How much is spent on benefits in Wigan?

£274.7m was paid out in Wigan on six benefits (Universal Credit, PIP, Housing Benefit, DLA, Carer's Allowance and ESA) in the 12 months to March 2026. The State Pension is not included.

How much is that per person in Wigan?

About £2,584 per resident, using an ONS mid-2022 population of 106,304. That is 165th highest of 575 constituencies in England and Wales, 17.0% above the average of £2,209.

Which benefit costs most in Wigan?

Universal Credit is the largest of the six at £150.9m, 54.9% of the total.

Where does this data come from?

Covers six benefits only: Universal Credit, PIP, Housing Benefit, DLA, Carer's Allowance and ESA. Excludes the State Pension, the largest welfare line. Compiled by the TaxPayers' Alliance from DWP Stat-Xplore, not a DWP borough publication. England and Wales, £133.1 billion in the 12 months to March 2026. Do not add this to the council budget: Housing Benefit is in both.