Three quarters of the £12billion rise in Britain's benefits bill since the election has been in Labour constituencies, the Daily Mail can reveal.
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Mail → reveal → constituencies
Labour has been accused of being 'trapped by its own welfare politics' after it emerged £8.8billion of the £12billion increase in welfare spending has flooded into Labour-held seats.
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8.8billion → accuse → seats
It comes as Labour's benefits tsar urged on Thursday for children to be introduced to the world of work from primary school to avoid going on the dole later in life.
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children → come → life
According to new analysis from the TaxPayers' Alliance, 15 constituencies saw benefit spending rising by more than £50 million from August 2024 to March 2026, 14 of which are represented by Labour MPs.
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14 → accord → MPs
Labour veteran Diane Abbott's Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency saw the largest increase in benefit spending at £76.6 million – more than three times the constituency average.
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constituency → see → million
It comes after Keir Starmer last year tried to convince backbenchers to back his welfare reforms restricting disability benefit eligibility in the hope of saving £5billion annually by 2030.
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Starmer → come → 2030
But a rebellion among more than 100 of his MPs saw the former PM drop the plans, and dented his credibility such that he was ousted as Labour leader.
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he → see → leader
Fresh analysis from the Taxpayers Alliance now reveals that 72 per cent of the £12.1billion increase in total benefits since the election – £8.8billion – went to constituencies represented by Labour.
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cent → reveal → Labour
A rebellion among more than 100 of his MPs saw Keir Starmer drop his plans to reform welfare, and dented his credibility such that he was ousted as Labour leader
Labour veteran Diane Abbott's Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency saw the largest increase in benefit spending at £76.6 million – more than three times the constituency average
Alan Milburn, tasked by the Government to review youth unemployment in Britain, said on Thursday that children as young as four should be learning about different careers, with work experience placements made mandatory for 14- to 16-year-olds
In comparison, just £1.8billion went to Conservative constituencies, £861million to Liberal Democrat constituencies and £165million to Reform constituencies, with the remaining £537million going to seats represented by other parties or independent Mps.
And according to the research, the average increase in benefit spending in seats represented by welfare rebels was 18 per cent higher than the average increase among all MPs.
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increase → see → MPs
Labour ministers were blasted last night for failing to 'face down' rebels whose constituencies are now flooded with welfare cash.
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constituencies → blast → cash
Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: 'Labour MPs spent the past two years fighting off every attempt to rein in the benefits bill, and it turns out the extra money has been landing in their own constituencies.
'
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money → say → constituencies
Andy Burnham inherited a party that gutted its own welfare reforms rather than face down its rebels, and he has shown no more backbone than Keir Starmer did.
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Starmer → inherit → backbone
Labour has become the Welfare Party, and working families are paying for it through ever higher taxes.'
Reform's treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick said: 'Labour and the Tories are the parties of welfare.
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Labour → become → welfare
'We'll end the fraud and abuse of the welfare system and use that money to cut taxes for workers and protect pensions instead.'
And Shimeon Lee, policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'Labour is trapped by its own welfare politics as benefit spending is surging in their own constituencies while its MPs help derail reform.
'
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MPs → end → reform
Some 72 per cent of the £12.1 billion rise in benefit spending went to Labour-held seats, while concessions wiped out 96 per cent of the government's original planned savings.
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concessions → go → savings
'Taxpayers cannot keep footing the bill for Labour's failure to get welfare under control.'
The Taxpayers Alliance calculated the total increase in benefits spending by adding together the rise in six different benefits from August 2024, just after Labour came to power, and March this year.
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Labour → keep → power
It comes as Alan Milburn, tasked by the Government to review youth unemployment in Britain, said on Thursday that children as young as four should be learning about different careers, with work experience placements made mandatory for 14- to 16-year-olds.
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children → come → olds
He told the BBC: 'Work experience needs to be mandatory.
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experience → tell → BBC
It makes a big difference.'
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It → make → difference
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: 'The increase in the PIP caseload has slowed under this government, falling from 400,000 in the 12 months to July 2024, to 260,000 in the 12 months to July 2026.
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increase → say → July
'We are already reforming the welfare system across the country by narrowing the gap between Universal Credit standard and health rates, restoring face-to-face assessments, and investing £3.5billion in employment support to end the culture of people being signed off and written off.
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We → reform → people
We're putting work and opportunity at the heart of the system, and the final recommendations from the Timms and Milburn Reviews will lay the foundation for sustainable reform.'
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recommendations → put → reform
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