The Taxpayers’ Alliance has analysed data from the Department for Work and Pensions on how much taxpayer money is spent on benefit payments.

Overall, Tottenham had the biggest welfare bill, with nearly £625 million being spent in a year. The top 10 spenders were all either London or Birmingham constituencies.

North Yorkshire is one of the highest spending local authorities, with a total bill of £964,220,371 in the 2025/26 financial year. This ranks it as 25 of 318 by total spend.

However, North Yorkshire is one of the largest local authorities (LAs), and the cost per resident is £1,518 – less than ranked local residents have per resident bills of over £3,500.

Here are the amounts you’re paying, based on your constituency.

Harrogate and Knaresborough - £144,551,891

Across the 2025/26 financial year, £144.5 million was spent on benefits in the area – ranking the constituency 495th out of 575.

This means that, per resident, the local benefits bill was £1,367 – an increase of nearly 20% in two years.

The largest spend by far was on Universal Credit, with a price tag of over £77.8 million. This equates to around £736 per resident.

Another large chunk of money was spent on Personal Independence Payments (PIP), at £33.8 million. This is £320 per resident.

The data also revealed that 43.5% of the PIP awards in this area are for psychiatric conditions. The number of claimants has increased by nearly 20% in two years.

The rest of the money is spent on Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.

In a statement on Facebook, the Harrogate and Knaresborough branch of Restore Britain said it had “no issues with genuine claimants but this is unsustainable".

Skipton and Ripon - £121,503,409

Ranking slightly lower, at 555th out of 575, people in this constituency pay about £1,212 per resident, with the benefits bill totalling £121.5 million.

Again, Universal Credit makes up about half of this, totalling £60.7 million in the financial year. This is £605 per resident.

There are nearly 4,300 PIP claimants in the area, an increase of 18% in two years, with over £32 million spent on this type of benefit. 39% of awards here are for psychiatric conditions, including 377 for anxiety and depressive disorders.

The rest of the money is spent on Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.

Wetherby and Easingwold - £100,376,071

Almost bottom of the league table, ranked 572th out of 575, this constituency has a total bill of just over £100 million - £1,064 per resident.

However, this is a rise of 24% in the last two years – the biggest increase in the area.

Universal Credit payments total nearly £50 million, costing £523 per resident. PIP costs are over £27 million - £289 per resident – with 36% of awards for psychiatric conditions. 

The rest of the money is spent on Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.