Benefits alone have risen by 20 billion pounds since he came to office.

The direction is correct: welfare spending has risen sharply since Labour took office in July 2024. The OBR's latest assessment shows DWP welfare spending rising by around £18 billion in a single year to about £333 billion. A cumulative rise near £20 billion is plausible, but the exact figure and the scope of 'benefits alone' cannot be anchored precisely to a single primary source.

▸ OBR — Welfare spending

Checked Wed 1 Jul, 09:59 · Broadcast: PMQs: Prime Minister's Questions - 3 June 2026

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More fact-checks of “PMQs: Prime Minister's Questions - 3 June 2026”

Imprecise · And she talks about the welfare bill. It soared to 88 billion pounds by 88 billion pounds on their watch.

Imprecise · Apprenticeship starts fell by 40% on their watch.

True · Net migration which reached nearly a million under them ... down by a staggering 82%.

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