Personal Independence Payments in Dudley borough rose by 82 percent in just over six years according to new research.

Figures released by the Taxpayers’ Alliance, which campaigns to cut government waste, say the number of Dudley people receiving PIP in April 2025 was 22,217.

The benefits dashboard released by the Alliance shows a rise in payments from a starting point of 12,217 in January 2019.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s as clear as night follows day from our new benefits dashboard that the benefits system is being significantly abused.

 “While England is a sicker country than it was before the pandemic, the size of the increases for many of these conditions surely cannot be believed by even the most gullible of MPs.

“Britain is in desperate need of a politician who has the courage to tackle this system head-on to ensure that taxpayers’ money is being protected while those who genuinely need help receive it.”

The Labour government in Westminster has been struggling to get reforms, including changes to PIP, through the House of Commons after a revolt by a section of its own MPs.

Among those strongly opposed to the government’s changes is Stourbridge MP and Dudley councillor Cat Eccles.

Cllr Eccles said: “The problem is that people are getting sicker. Thousands of people claiming PIP are languishing on waiting lists for treatment and diagnosis, hence the uptick in claims. 

“If the government focuses on driving down those waiting lists we will be in a much better place. The welfare system needs to be there for everyone. 

“One in three of us will become disabled in our lifetime and may need that vital support and we must protect it now and in the future.”

The Taxpayers’ Alliance dashboard also shows a sharp rise in the numbers of people having work capability assessments who are classed as having a limited capacity for work or work-related activity (LCWRA).

LCWRA is defined as being unable to work and with a condition which means people will not be expected to look for a job and instead receive additional financial support.

According to the survey, in April 2019 these were 1,219 borough people in the LCWRA category.

By March 2025 the number of LCWRA people in Dudley, which has a total population of around 350,000, was 9,751.