Universal Credit Surges by 1.1 Million as UK Jobless Rate Hits 5% — What the New DWP Data Means for Starmer’s Government
Published: 12 November 2025 The UK welfare landscape shifted sharply this autumn. Fresh figures show 8.3 million people are now on Universal Credit (UC), up from 7.2 million a year ago—a rise of 1.1 million that coincides with unemployment ticking up to 5% in the three months to September. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says the jump partly reflects the ongoing transfer of people from older “legacy” benefits into UC, but it also lands amid a cooling jobs market that will test the Labour government’s economic plans. GOV.UK+2Office for National Statistics+2 The headline numbers Sky News, reflecting the