Official Data Corrects Misleading Claims on UK Population and Benefits
Official statistics have provided a clear rebuttal to recent claims made by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe regarding the UK's population growth and benefit claimant numbers. In an interview broadcast on Sky News, Sir Jim asserted that the UK population had surged from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million, a rise of 12 million people. However, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) paints a very different picture.
Population Growth: The Real Figures
According to the ONS, the UK population in mid-2020 was estimated at 66.7 million, not 58 million as stated by Sir Jim. By mid-2025, this figure had increased to just under 69.5 million, representing a growth of almost 2.8 million over the five-year period. The claim that the population reached 58 million in 2020 is factually incorrect; the UK actually hit that milestone back in mid-1995, passing 59 million in 2001. A 12-million increase has occurred, but over a much longer timeframe: since mid-1991, when the population stood at an estimated 57.4 million.
Universal Credit Claimants: A Detailed Breakdown
Sir Jim also claimed that "you can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits." The latest available figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there were 8,400,344 people in Britain claiming Universal Credit (UC) in December 2025. Combined with 233,170 claimants in Northern Ireland as of August 2025, this suggests at least 8.6 million people across the UK were likely receiving UC towards the end of 2025.
Universal Credit is the primary means-tested benefit in the UK, having replaced previous benefits like income support and jobseeker's allowance. The migration to UC is nearly complete, with the process due to finish by the end of March 2026. Importantly, UC supports not only those out of work but also individuals in low-income employment.
Of the 8.4 million UC claimants in Britain in December 2025, DWP figures reveal that 2.2 million were in work. A further 4.2 million were classified as not required to work, including students, pensioners, parents of young children, and those with health or disability barriers. Additionally, 1.5 million were actively seeking employment, while just under 0.5 million were preparing for work. In total, 6.2 million claimants were either not required to work or not in employment.
Immigration Status of Claimants
Separate DWP data from October 2025 provides a breakdown of UC claimants by immigration status. The majority, 84.3%, are British and Irish nationals or individuals living or working in the UK without immigration restrictions. EU nationals with settled status account for 9.2%, while 2.6% have indefinite leave to remain. Refugees make up 1.5%, and 0.6% arrived via humanitarian routes such as the Ukraine and Afghan resettlement schemes. Approximately 0.9% have temporary immigration status, with the remaining 0.8% including those no longer on UC or with unrecorded status.
These official figures underscore the importance of relying on verified data when discussing demographic and economic trends, rather than anecdotal or inaccurate claims.
