Constituency in Scotland
Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
In Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, benefit spending per resident was higher than in 78% of constituencies in 2024-25.
At a glance
How does Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy compare?
We divide each type of spending by the people it is for. A rank of 1 is the highest of the constituencies in Great Britain. Money is in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation.
All benefits
£5,023£5,045£4,765
per resident, 2024-251-11
139th of 631, higher than in 78% of constituencies
Great Britain: £4,441£4,460£4,212
Shared outEstimatedPensioner benefits
£12,406£12,459£11,767
per person aged 66 and over, 2024-251-3, 6, 8-11
545th of 631, lower than in 86% of constituencies
Great Britain: £12,728£12,782£12,073
Shared outEstimatedWorking-age benefits
£2,294£2,304£2,176
per person aged 16 to 64, 2024-251-3, 7, 9-11
207th of 632, higher than in 67% of constituencies
Great Britain: £2,093£2,102£1,985
Shared outEstimated
Show the numbers
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benefit spending, per resident, 2024-25 | £5,023£5,045£4,765 | 139th of 631 | £4,441£4,460£4,212 |
| Spending on pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £12,406£12,459£11,767 | 545th of 631 | £12,728£12,782£12,073 |
| Spending on working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £2,294£2,304£2,176 | 207th of 632 | £2,093£2,102£1,985 |
Spending by benefit, 2024-25
Where does Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy's benefit money go?
People here received £484.6 million£486.7 million£459.7 million in benefits in 2024-25, in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation. Each square is £1 million.1-11
Dotted squares are estimates.
- State Pension£233.0m£233.9m£221.0m48%
- Pension Credit£8.2m£8.2m£7.8m2%
- Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment£12.0m£12.0m£11.3m2%Shared outEstimated
- Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment£0.39m£0.40m£0.37m0.1%Shared outEstimated
- Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment£56.1m£56.4m£53.2m12%Shared outEstimated
- Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment£18.1m£18.1m£17.1m4%Shared outEstimated
- Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment£7.7m£7.7m£7.3m2%Shared outEstimated
- Universal Credit£103.1m£103.6m£97.8m21%
- Housing Benefit£21.4m£21.5m£20.3m4%
- Employment and Support Allowance£22.9m£23.0m£21.7m5%
- Jobseeker's Allowance£0.65m£0.65m£0.62m0.1%
- Income Support£0.48m£0.49m£0.46m0.1%
- Other benefits£0.74m£0.74m£0.70m0.2%Shared outEstimated
Show the numbers
| Benefit | Spending | Share | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension | £233.0m£233.9m£221.0m | 48% | Published |
| Pension Credit | £8.2m£8.2m£7.8m | 2% | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment | £12.0m£12.0m£11.3m | 2% | Shared outEstimated |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment | £0.39m£0.40m£0.37m | 0.1% | Shared outEstimated |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment | £56.1m£56.4m£53.2m | 12% | Shared outEstimated |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment | £18.1m£18.1m£17.1m | 4% | Shared outEstimated |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment | £7.7m£7.7m£7.3m | 2% | Shared outEstimated |
| Universal Credit | £103.1m£103.6m£97.8m | 21% | Published |
| Housing Benefit | £21.4m£21.5m£20.3m | 4% | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowance | £22.9m£23.0m£21.7m | 5% | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | £0.65m£0.65m£0.62m | 0.1% | Published |
| Income Support | £0.48m£0.49m£0.46m | 0.1% | Published |
| Other benefits | £0.74m£0.74m£0.70m | 0.2% | Shared outEstimated |
| All benefits | £484.6m£486.7m£459.7m | 100% | Total |
More about Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
How has it changed over time?
Trends
Spending and claims over time
Each small chart starts at zero and has its own scale. Spending is in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation. Dotted years are estimates. A dashed line marks a change to boundaries or methods.1-11
Spending per person in the age group
All benefits
per resident
£5,023£5,045£4,7652024-25
2023-242024-25
Pensioner benefits
per person aged 66 and over
£12,406£12,459£11,7672024-25
2023-242024-25
Working-age benefits
per person aged 16 to 64
£2,294£2,304£2,1762024-25
2018-192024-25
State Pension
per person aged 66 and over
£11,401£11,450£10,8152024-25
2023-242024-25
Pension Credit
per person aged 66 and over
£400£402£3792024-25
2018-192024-25
Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment
per person aged 66 and over
£585£588£5552024-25
2018-192024-25
Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
per person aged 66 and over
£19£19£182024-25
2021-222024-25
Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment
per resident
£582£584£5522024-25
2018-192024-25
Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment
per resident
£187£188£1782024-25
2018-192024-25
Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment
per person aged 16 to 64
£131£131£1242024-25
2018-192024-25
Universal Credit
per person aged 16 to 64
£1,755£1,763£1,6652024-25
2019-202024-25
Housing Benefit
per resident
£222£223£2102024-25
2018-192024-25
Employment and Support Allowance
per person aged 16 to 64
£389£391£3692024-25
2018-192024-25
Jobseeker's Allowance
per person aged 16 to 64
£11£11£102024-25
2018-192024-25
Income Support
per person aged 16 to 64
£8.24£8.28£7.822024-25
2018-192024-25
Other benefits
per resident
£7.64£7.68£7.252024-25
2018-192024-25
Show the numbers
| Measure | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All benefits, per resident | £4,757£4,705£4,342 | £5,023£5,045£4,765 | |||||
| Pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over | £12,322£12,188£11,246 | £12,406£12,459£11,767 | |||||
| Working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 64 | £826£828£618 | £1,531£1,549£1,175 | £2,014£2,129£1,625 | £1,992£2,034£1,614 | £1,850£1,837£1,604 | £2,030£2,008£1,853 | £2,294£2,304£2,176 |
| State Pension, per person aged 66 and over | £10,983£10,864£10,024 | £11,401£11,450£10,815 | |||||
| Pension Credit, per person aged 66 and over | £463£465£346 | £433£438£332 | £410£433£331 | £383£391£310 | £365£363£317 | £389£385£355 | £400£402£379 |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment, per person aged 66 and over | £569£570£425 | £572£579£439 | £495£524£400 | £480£490£389 | £475£472£412 | £532£526£486 | £585£588£555 |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, per person aged 66 and over | £203£207£164 | £438£435£379 | £418£413£381 | £19£19£18 | |||
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment, per resident | £257£258£193 | £294£298£226 | £345£364£278 | £375£383£304 | £411£408£356 | £515£510£470 | £582£584£552 |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment, per resident | £242£243£181 | £210£213£162 | £160£169£129 | £153£156£124 | £156£154£135 | £179£177£164 | £187£188£178 |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment, per person aged 16 to 64 | £109£110£82 | £120£121£92 | £118£124£95 | £117£120£95 | £115£114£100 | £124£123£114 | £131£131£124 |
| Universal Credit, per person aged 16 to 64 | £796£806£611 | £1,331£1,407£1,074 | £1,361£1,389£1,103 | £1,271£1,262£1,102 | £1,464£1,448£1,336 | £1,755£1,763£1,665 | |
| Housing Benefit, per resident | £369£370£276 | £327£331£251 | £295£311£238 | £271£276£219 | £248£247£215 | £242£239£221 | £222£223£210 |
| Employment and Support Allowance, per person aged 16 to 64 | £590£592£441 | £527£534£405 | £489£517£395 | £467£476£378 | £421£418£365 | £408£403£372 | £389£391£369 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance, per person aged 16 to 64 | £58£58£43 | £38£38£29 | £39£42£32 | £23£24£19 | £17£17£15 | £13£13£12 | £11£11£10 |
| Income Support, per person aged 16 to 64 | £68£69£51 | £49£50£38 | £37£39£30 | £24£25£20 | £26£26£23 | £20£20£18 | £8.24£8.28£7.82 |
| Other benefits, per resident | £13£13£9.39 | £12£12£8.94 | £11£12£8.84 | £7.40£7.56£6.00 | £7.48£7.43£6.49 | £6.49£6.42£5.92 | £7.64£7.68£7.25 |
People receiving benefits, per 1,000
State Pension
per 1,000 people aged 66 and over
995.5March 2026
May 2025March 2026
Pension Credit
per 1,000 people aged 66 and over
103.2March 2026
May 2025March 2026
Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment
per 1,000 people aged 66 and over
163.7March 2026
March 2026March 2026
Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment
per 1,000 residents
94.4July 2026
July 2026July 2026
Universal Credit
per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64
222.1May 2026
May 2025May 2026
Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment
per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64
31.2March 2026
March 2026March 2026
Show the numbers
| Measure | May 2025 | July 2025 | August 2025 | October 2025 | November 2025 | January 2026 | February 2026 | March 2026 | April 2026 | May 2026 | July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension, per 1,000 people aged 66 and over | 985.1 | 994.0 | 998.5 | 995.5 | |||||||
| Pension Credit, per 1,000 people aged 66 and over | 104.6 | 105.6 | 105.6 | 103.2 | |||||||
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment, per 1,000 people aged 66 and over | No value | No value | No value | 163.7 | |||||||
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment, per 1,000 residents | No value | No value | No value | No value | 94.4 | ||||||
| Universal Credit, per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64 | 209.1 | 216.6 | 221.7 | 222.5 | 222.1 | ||||||
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment, per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64 | No value | No value | No value | 31.2 |
Is spending what you would expect?
Compared with similar areas
Spending compared with the expected level
We work out an expected level of spending from the share of children and of people aged 66 and over, how deprived the area is, typical pay and which nation it is in. This compares the area with similar areas. It does not measure need.
Each bar starts at the expected level. A bar reaches the edge when the difference is larger than in 98% of constituencies.
All benefits, per resident1-11, 14-17
Actual £5,023£5,045£4,765Expected £5,058£5,079£4,798Difference −£35−£35−£33
Benefit spending per resident was £35 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Benefit spending per resident was £35 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Benefit spending per resident was £33 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay. Across all constituencies, these factors explain 84% of the differences in this measure.
Pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over1-3, 6, 8-11, 14-17
Actual £12,406£12,459£11,767Expected £12,811£12,866£12,152Difference −£406−£407−£385
Spending on pensioner benefits per person aged 66 and over was £406 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on pensioner benefits per person aged 66 and over was £407 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on pensioner benefits per person aged 66 and over was £385 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay. Across all constituencies, these factors explain 39% of the differences in this measure.
Working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 641-3, 7, 9-11, 14-17
Actual £2,294£2,304£2,176Expected £2,172£2,181£2,060Difference +£122+£123+£116
Spending on working-age benefits per person aged 16 to 64 was £122 above the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on working-age benefits per person aged 16 to 64 was £123 above the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on working-age benefits per person aged 16 to 64 was £116 above the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay. Across all constituencies, these factors explain 85% of the differences in this measure.
The expected level comes from one statistical model across all areas of the same type. It uses ages, deprivation within each nation, typical pay and nation, and the methods page lists its figures. The difference compares an area only with areas that are similar on these measures. Rents, disability, household make-up and how many eligible people claim are not in the model, so the difference does not measure need.
How we work out the expected level
Show the numbers
| Measure | Actual | Expected | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All benefits, per resident | £5,023£5,045£4,765 | £5,058£5,079£4,798 | −£35−£35−£33 |
| Pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over | £12,406£12,459£11,767 | £12,811£12,866£12,152 | −£406−£407−£385 |
| Working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 64 | £2,294£2,304£2,176 | £2,172£2,181£2,060 | +£122+£123+£116 |
How much income tax do residents pay?
Income tax only
Benefit spending and income tax paid by residents
In 2023-24, people in Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy received £1.53 in benefits for each £1 of income tax that residents paid. Both figures are per resident, for the same tax year, 2023-24. Income tax is only one tax. There are no area figures for National Insurance, VAT or council tax.
- Benefit spending, per resident
- £4,757£4,705£4,342
Income tax only. There are no area figures for National Insurance, VAT, council tax or other taxes.
HMRC estimates income tax by area from a sample survey, the Survey of Personal Incomes, based on where taxpayers live. Figures for small areas are less certain, and HMRC does not publish some of them.
Spending and income tax are for the same year. Constituency income tax on the 2024 boundaries is only published for 2023-24.
Who lives here?
Profile
Deprivation and age
England, Wales and Scotland each measure deprivation in their own way. So we compare Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy only with other areas in Scotland.
Residents by age, mid-2024
- Aged 0 to 1515,91516%
- Aged 16 to 6458,76761%
- Aged 651,3621%
- Aged 66 and over20,43221%
- All residents96,476100%
Figures by disability condition are published for Scotland as a whole, not for areas in Scotland.
Who was elected here in 2024?
General election, 4 July 2024
How did Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy vote in 2024?
Shares of the 40,814 valid votes.18
- Winning party
- Labour
- Melanie Ward
- Majority
- 7,248
- 17.8% of valid votes
- Turnout
- 56.8%
- Valid votes as a share of the 71,845 people registered to vote
- Labour18,66245.7%
- Scottish National Party11,41428.0%
- Conservative3,2037.9%
- Reform UK3,1287.7%
- Liberal Democrat1,5933.9%
- Scottish Green Party1,5563.8%
- Alba Party1,1322.8%
- Scottish Libertarian Party1260.3%
Results of the general election on 4 July 2024. Turnout is valid votes as a share of the people registered to vote. The majority is the winner's lead over the second candidate, as votes and as a share of valid votes. By-elections and changes of party since then are not shown. The MP named at the top of the page is the current one.
Show the numbers
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Melanie Ward | 18,662 | 45.7% |
| Scottish National Party | Lesley Backhouse | 11,414 | 28.0% |
| Conservative | Jonathan Gray | 3,203 | 7.9% |
| Reform UK | Sonia Davidson | 3,128 | 7.7% |
| Liberal Democrat | Fraser Graham | 1,593 | 3.9% |
| Scottish Green Party | Mags Hall | 1,556 | 3.8% |
| Alba Party | Neale Hanvey | 1,132 | 2.8% |
| Scottish Libertarian Party | Calum Paul | 126 | 0.3% |
Which areas are most like this one?
Similar areas
The 15 constituencies most like Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
We match areas anywhere in Great Britain on age, deprivation, pay and how many people live in each square kilometre. We do not match on place or spending. A smaller score means more alike. Bars show all benefits per resident, 2024-25.
- Cowdenbeath and KirkcaldyThis area£5,023£5,045£4,765
- Calder Valley0.47£4,527£4,547£4,294Compare
- Amber Valley0.48£4,951£4,972£4,696Compare
- Alloa and Grangemouth0.56£4,928£4,949£4,675Compare
- Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch0.61£5,010£5,031£4,752Compare
- Canterbury0.62£4,273£4,291£4,053Compare
- Cramlington and Killingworth0.64£4,676£4,696£4,435Compare
- Blaydon and Consett0.68£4,951£4,972£4,696Compare
- Falkirk0.70£4,756£4,776£4,511Compare
- Runcorn and Helsby0.76£5,259£5,281£4,988Compare
- Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland0.76£5,364£5,387£5,088Compare
- Tamworth0.80£4,368£4,386£4,143Compare
- Paisley and Renfrewshire North0.82£4,775£4,795£4,529Compare
- Taunton and Wellington0.87£4,374£4,392£4,149Compare
- West Lancashire0.87£4,617£4,637£4,379Compare
- Southport0.88£5,198£5,220£4,930Compare
Show the numbers
| Area | Score | All benefits, per resident |
|---|---|---|
| Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy | £5,023£5,045£4,765 | |
| Calder Valley | 0.47 | £4,527£4,547£4,294 |
| Amber Valley | 0.48 | £4,951£4,972£4,696 |
| Alloa and Grangemouth | 0.56 | £4,928£4,949£4,675 |
| Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch | 0.61 | £5,010£5,031£4,752 |
| Canterbury | 0.62 | £4,273£4,291£4,053 |
| Cramlington and Killingworth | 0.64 | £4,676£4,696£4,435 |
| Blaydon and Consett | 0.68 | £4,951£4,972£4,696 |
| Falkirk | 0.70 | £4,756£4,776£4,511 |
| Runcorn and Helsby | 0.76 | £5,259£5,281£4,988 |
| Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | 0.76 | £5,364£5,387£5,088 |
| Tamworth | 0.80 | £4,368£4,386£4,143 |
| Paisley and Renfrewshire North | 0.82 | £4,775£4,795£4,529 |
| Taunton and Wellington | 0.87 | £4,374£4,392£4,149 |
| West Lancashire | 0.87 | £4,617£4,637£4,379 |
| Southport | 0.88 | £5,198£5,220£4,930 |
Which other areas overlap it?
Overlapping areas
The local authorities that overlap Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
Each share is the part of Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy's residents who live in that area.
- Fifelocal authority100%
Every figure, in one table
Every figure
Every figure, with its rank
Every figure we publish for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, in total and per person. Each has its rank among the constituencies of Great Britain and the figure for Great Britain. Money is in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation.
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £484.6m£486.7m£459.7m | 257th of 631 | £299.0bn£300.3bn£283.6bn | Shared outEstimated |
| All benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £5,023£5,045£4,765 | 139th of 631 | £4,441£4,460£4,212 | Shared outEstimated |
| Pensioner benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £253.5m£254.6m£240.4m | 281st of 631 | £154.0bn£154.6bn£146.1bn | Shared outEstimated |
| Pensioner benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £2,627£2,639£2,492 | 211th of 631 | £2,287£2,297£2,170 | Shared outEstimated |
| Pensioner benefitsper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £12,406£12,459£11,767 | 545th of 631 | £12,728£12,782£12,073 | Shared outEstimated |
| Working-age benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £134.8m£135.4m£127.9m | 290th of 632 | £88.8bn£89.1bn£84.2bn | Shared outEstimated |
| Working-age benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £1,398£1,403£1,326 | 235th of 632 | £1,318£1,324£1,250 | Shared outEstimated |
| Working-age benefitsper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £2,294£2,304£2,176 | 207th of 632 | £2,093£2,102£1,985 | Shared outEstimated |
| State Pensiontotal, 2024-25 | £233.0m£233.9m£221.0m | 257th of 631 | £138.4bn£138.9bn£131.2bn | Published |
| State Pensionper resident, 2024-25 | £2,415£2,425£2,290 | 209th of 631 | £2,055£2,064£1,949 | Published |
| State Pensionper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £11,401£11,450£10,815 | 427th of 631 | £11,435£11,484£10,847 | Published |
| Pension Credittotal, 2024-25 | £8.2m£8.2m£7.8m | 358th of 632 | £6.3bn£6.4bn£6.0bn | Published |
| Pension Creditper resident, 2024-25 | £85£85£80 | 322nd of 632 | £94£94£89 | Published |
| Pension Creditper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £400£402£379 | 362nd of 632 | £523£525£496 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £12.0m£12.0m£11.3m | 461st of 632 | £9.0bn£9.0bn£8.5bn | Shared outEstimated |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £124£124£118 | 363rd of 632 | £133£134£126 | Shared outEstimated |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £585£588£555 | 560th of 632 | £741£744£703 | Shared outEstimated |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £0.39m£0.40m£0.37m | 488th of 632 | £346.1m£347.6m£328.3m | Shared outEstimated |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £4.08£4.10£3.87 | 448th of 632 | £5.14£5.17£4.88 | Shared outEstimated |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Paymentper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £19£19£18 | 488th of 632 | £29£29£27 | Shared outEstimated |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £56.1m£56.4m£53.2m | 195th of 632 | £30.4bn£30.5bn£28.9bn | Shared outEstimated |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £582£584£552 | 143rd of 632 | £452£454£429 | Shared outEstimated |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £18.1m£18.1m£17.1m | 123rd of 632 | £9.1bn£9.2bn£8.6bn | Shared outEstimated |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £187£188£178 | 84th of 632 | £135£136£128 | Shared outEstimated |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £7.7m£7.7m£7.3m | 275th of 632 | £4.9bn£4.9bn£4.6bn | Shared outEstimated |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £80£80£76 | 220th of 632 | £72£73£69 | Shared outEstimated |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £131£131£124 | 203rd of 632 | £115£115£109 | Shared outEstimated |
| Universal Credittotal, 2024-25 | £103.1m£103.6m£97.8m | 290th of 632 | £70.3bn£70.6bn£66.7bn | Published |
| Universal Creditper resident, 2024-25 | £1,069£1,074£1,014 | 252nd of 632 | £1,044£1,048£990 | Published |
| Universal Creditper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £1,755£1,763£1,665 | 234th of 632 | £1,657£1,664£1,572 | Published |
| Housing Benefittotal, 2024-25 | £21.4m£21.5m£20.3m | 306th of 632 | £16.3bn£16.4bn£15.5bn | Published |
| Housing Benefitper resident, 2024-25 | £222£223£210 | 264th of 632 | £242£243£230 | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowancetotal, 2024-25 | £22.9m£23.0m£21.7m | 219th of 632 | £13.0bn£13.0bn£12.3bn | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowanceper resident, 2024-25 | £237£238£225 | 166th of 632 | £193£193£183 | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowanceper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £389£391£369 | 148th of 632 | £306£307£290 | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowancetotal, 2024-25 | £0.65m£0.65m£0.62m | 144th of 632 | £329.6m£331.0m£312.7m | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowanceper resident, 2024-25 | £6.73£6.75£6.38 | 72nd of 632 | £4.89£4.91£4.64 | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowanceper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £11£11£10 | 45th of 632 | £7.77£7.80£7.37 | Published |
| Income Supporttotal, 2024-25 | £0.48m£0.49m£0.46m | 254th of 632 | £294.9m£296.2m£279.7m | Published |
| Income Supportper resident, 2024-25 | £5.02£5.04£4.76 | 208th of 632 | £4.38£4.39£4.15 | Published |
| Income Supportper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £8.24£8.28£7.82 | 194th of 632 | £6.96£6.99£6.60 | Published |
| Other benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £0.74m£0.74m£0.70m | 171st of 632 | £414.2m£415.9m£392.9m | Shared outEstimated |
| Other benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £7.64£7.68£7.25 | 103rd of 632 | £6.15£6.17£5.83 | Shared outEstimated |
| Benefits and income taxfor each £1 of income tax, 2023-24 | £1.53 | 223rd of 631 | £0.95 | Shared outEstimatedSurvey estimate |
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pensiontotal, March 2026 | 20,340 | 254th of 632 | 12,207,279 | Published |
| State Pensionper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 210.8 | 203rd of 632 | 181.3 | Published |
| State Pensionper 1,000 people aged 66 and over, March 2026 | 995.5 | 538th of 632 | 1,009.0 | Published |
| Pension Credittotal, March 2026 | 2,109 | 315th of 632 | 1,380,853 | Published |
| Pension Creditper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 21.9 | 247th of 632 | 20.5 | Published |
| Pension Creditper 1,000 people aged 66 and over, March 2026 | 103.2 | 328th of 632 | 114.1 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymenttotal, March 2026 | 3,344 | 189th of 632 | 1,881,995 | Shared out |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 34.7 | 152nd of 632 | 28.0 | Shared out |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper 1,000 people aged 66 and over, March 2026 | 163.7 | 240th of 632 | 155.6 | Shared out |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymenttotal, July 2026 | 9,112 | 153rd of 632 | 4,594,229 | Shared out |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymentper 1,000 residents, July 2026 | 94.4 | 102nd of 632 | 68.2 | Shared out |
| Universal Credittotal, May 2026 | 13,050 | 259th of 632 | 8,145,172 | Published |
| Universal Creditper 1,000 residents, May 2026 | 135.3 | 210th of 632 | 121.0 | Published |
| Universal Creditper 1,000 people aged 16 to 64, May 2026 | 222.1 | 183rd of 632 | 192.1 | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymenttotal, March 2026 | 1,835 | 236th of 632 | 1,090,721 | Shared outEstimated |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 19.0 | 185th of 632 | 16.2 | Shared outEstimated |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper 1,000 people aged 16 to 64, March 2026 | 31.2 | 171st of 632 | 25.7 | Shared outEstimated |
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income taxtotal, 2023-24 | £296.9m£293.7m£271.0m | 405th of 632 | £293.3bn£290.1bn£267.7bn | Survey estimate |
| Income taxper resident, 2023-24 | £3,101£3,067£2,830 | 366th of 632 | £4,409£4,361£4,024 | Survey estimate |
| Benefits and income taxfor each £1 of income tax, 2023-24 | £1.53 | 223rd of 631 | £0.95 | Shared outEstimatedSurvey estimate |
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All benefits against expectedper resident, 2024-25 | −£35−£35−£33 | 336th of 625 | £4.74£4.76£4.50 | Shared outEstimated |
| Pensioner benefits against expectedper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | −£406−£407−£385 | 570th of 625 | −£11−£11−£10 | Shared outEstimated |
| Working-age benefits against expectedper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £122£123£116 | 165th of 626 | £8.64£8.68£8.20 | Shared outEstimated |
Where do the numbers come from?
Notes
Limits and sources
Limits of the figures for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
England, Wales and Scotland each measure deprivation in their own way, so we compare areas only with others in the same nation. Areas are split into 10 equal groups, from 1, the most deprived tenth, to 10, the least deprived.
Income tax only. There are no area figures for National Insurance, VAT, council tax or other taxes.
Scottish figures include the Social Security Scotland benefits that replace DWP benefits: Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment, Carer Support Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
DWP's area tables leave out Scotland once a benefit moves to the Scottish Government. While cases moved to Social Security Scotland, DWP kept paying some of them. We estimate those payments from Stat-Xplore counts of people and their payments, scale them to DWP's national totals, and share them between councils as before the move. We work out Carer Support Payment and Pension Age Disability Payment from Scotland's totals and each council's share.
Scottish counts for these benefits are Social Security Scotland's latest figures, which can be up to four months apart from the DWP month. Earlier months have no Scottish figure.
For benefits that Social Security Scotland pays, each Scottish constituency gets a share of its council's figure, by population at the 2022 census.
There is no breakdown by condition for Scottish areas. Adult Disability Payment has replaced Personal Independence Payment in Scotland, and Social Security Scotland publishes conditions for Scotland as a whole only.
Results of the general election on 4 July 2024. Turnout is valid votes as a share of the people registered to vote. The majority is the winner's lead over the second candidate, as votes and as a share of valid votes. By-elections and changes of party since then are not shown. The MP named at the top of the page is the current one.
Sources
- 1Department for Work and Pensions. Benefit expenditure by local authority, 2024-25. Published 15 December 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 2Department for Work and Pensions. Benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency, 2024-25. Published 15 December 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 3Department for Work and Pensions. Stat-Xplore benefit caseloads and awards. Published 6 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 4Social Security Scotland. Adult Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2026. Published 14 September 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 5Social Security Scotland. Child Disability Payment statistics to 30 June 2026. Published 17 August 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 6Social Security Scotland. Pension Age Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2026. Published 14 September 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 7Social Security Scotland. Carer Support Payment statistics to 30 June 2026. Published 10 August 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 8Social Security Scotland. Winter heating benefits statistics for winter 2025/26. Published 18 May 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 9Office for National Statistics. Population estimates by local authority (Nomis NM_2002_1). Published 5 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 10Office for National Statistics. Population estimates by 2024 parliamentary constituency (Nomis NM_2014_1). Published 5 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 11National Records of Scotland. Population estimates for other geographies, mid-2011 to mid-2024. Published 31 August 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 12HM Revenue and Customs. Income and tax by borough and district or unitary authority (Table 3.14). Published 29 April 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 13HM Revenue and Customs. Income and tax by parliamentary constituency (Table 3.15). Published 29 April 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 14Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. English indices of deprivation 2025. Published 19 November 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 15Welsh Government. Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2025. Published 5 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 16Scottish Government. Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020. Published 28 January 2020. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 17Office for National Statistics. Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, resident analysis, 2024 (Nomis NM_30_1). Published 6 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 18House of Commons Library. Election results: UK general election, 4 July 2024. Published 6 October 2026. Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
Northern Ireland is not included. How we worked out the figures · Download all the data