Topic overview
In brief
- A recent Ipsos survey found that 46% of Britons believe more people are falsely claiming health issues to receive benefits.
- The number of disability benefit claimants has roughly doubled since 2019, prompting concerns about welfare spending.
- Public opinion is shifting towards prioritizing support for individuals to return to work within the benefits system.
Summary
In the United Kingdom, a recent survey conducted by Ipsos revealed significant public sentiment regarding the rise in disability and health benefits claims among working-age individuals. The survey, which took place from July 23 to 24, 2026, indicated that 46 percent of respondents believe that an increasing number of people are attempting to exploit the system by falsely claiming health issues. This marks a two-percentage point increase from a similar poll conducted in March 2025. Additionally, 43 percent of participants expressed the view that health benefits are too easily granted to individuals who do not genuinely require them, reflecting an eight-point rise in this belief since the previous year.
The survey also highlighted a growing acceptance of various health conditions, particularly mental health issues, as valid reasons for not being able to work. Approximately 47 percent of respondents agreed with this perspective, which is a four-point increase from March 2025. Furthermore, 28 percent of those surveyed attributed the rise in welfare claimants to general practitioners (GPs) being too lenient in assessing individuals as unfit for work, also up four points from the previous year. This shift in public opinion comes at a time when the UK government, under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, is facing pressure to address welfare spending and reform the benefits system.