Just one in ten long-term means-tested benefit recipients move off support each year, new research finds

• Around half of people receiving means-tested benefits in one year are still receiving them the following year, with only around 10% of long-term recipients moving off support annually.
• Single parents, people with disabilities or health conditions, and those with lower qualifications face particularly high rates of long-term benefit receipt.
• Social Mobility Commission research highlights the barriers to moving beyond long-term benefit receipt, including insecure employment, limited opportunities for skills development, childcare responsibilities and health conditions.

Only around one in ten long-term benefit recipients move off means-tested benefits each year, according to new research published by the Social Mobility Commission.

The report, Breaking Free, examines who receives benefits over extended periods and the barriers they face in moving towards financial independence.

It finds that around half of people receiving means-tested benefits in one year are still receiving them the next. Those who have been claiming for three or more years are also 7 to 8 percentage points less likely to leave than shorter-term recipients.

Drawing on 15 years of data, the research shows that while the proportion of working-age adults receiving means-tested benefits has fallen from 32% in 2009-10 to 21% in 2023-24, long-term receipt remains widespread.

The findings highlight significant differences in people’s circumstances, with some groups facing much greater barriers to moving off benefits:

• Single parents: 72% were receiving means-tested benefits long term in 2023-24.
• Health and disability: 42% of adults with a longstanding limiting illness or disability were in long-term receipt, compared with 12% of those without.
• Qualifications: Adults with no formal qualifications face significantly higher rates of benefit receipt, with the gap between them and graduates widening over time.

The research also finds that some people move off benefits only to return a short time later, with sustained exit rates at around 7%. Insecure or low-paid employment, childcare responsibilities, health conditions and limited local job opportunities can all make it harder to achieve lasting financial independence.

Being in work does not necessarily mean leaving benefits: 37.7% of people receiving Universal Credit were in employment in April 2026.

The findings highlight how moving into employment does not always lead to financial independence. Access to better-paid jobs, opportunities to develop skills, affordable childcare and appropriate health support can all play an important role in helping people progress.

The report sets out recommendations for improving opportunities for long-term benefit recipients, including strengthening locally tailored employment support, investing in vocational training for adults, improving financial incentives for parents to increase their working hours, and helping people with health conditions enter and remain in suitable employment.

ENDS

The full report, Breaking Free: Prevalence, dynamics, and barriers among long-term benefit recipients, is available on the Social Mobility Commission website.

Notes to editors

• The study uses 15 years of data from the Understanding Society longitudinal survey, covering 2009-10 to 2023-24.
• A long-term benefit recipient is defined in the research as a working-age adult reporting receipt of means-tested benefits at two consecutive annual interviews.
• The research focuses on means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit and legacy benefits, rather than all forms of social security.
• For media enquiries, contact smcmedia@socialmobilitycommission.gov.uk