Sheffield Hallam had the lowest spending on six main benefits of any parliamentary constituency in England and Wales in the 12 months to March 2026, according to an analysis of official benefits data by the TaxPayers’ Alliance.
The campaign group put Sheffield Hallam’s bill at £80.8m. Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, in the same city, recorded £428.4m, more than five times as much and the 21st highest of the 575 constituencies examined.
The figures come from the TaxPayers’ Alliance Welfare Map, launched on 4 October 2026, which covers universal credit, personal independence payment, housing benefit, disability living allowance, carer’s allowance and employment and support allowance in each constituency.
The national picture
Across England and Wales, spending on the six benefits was £133.1bn in the 12 months to March 2026, up from £107bn in the 12 months to February 2024, an increase of 24.4%, the analysis found.
Tottenham had the largest bill of any constituency, at £624.9m, almost eight times Sheffield Hallam’s. Brent East was second at £605.9m and Birmingham Ladywood third at £590.7m. In all, 54 constituencies had bills above £365m, the equivalent of more than £1m a day.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance, which campaigns for lower taxes, is calling for tougher benefit caps, tighter assessments and eligibility rules and wider means testing.
About the figures
The totals cover the six benefits named above, not all welfare spending. Differences between constituencies reflect the number of people receiving benefits, the value of their awards and the types of support claimed. Each constituency’s figures can be looked up on the TaxPayers’ Alliance Welfare Map.