Statistics watchdog corrects Kemi Badenoch over misleading Universal Credit claim
The UK statistics watchdog has written to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to correct her misleading claims about the number of […]
The UK statistics watchdog has written to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to correct her misleading claims about the number of people claiming Universal Credit.
During an appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions on April 29th, Badenoch said the number of people out of work and receiving the benefit had risen by 1.5 million since Labour came to power in July, 2024.
She said at the time: “He has broken his promise to grow the economy; the only thing that has grown is the welfare bill.
“Can the prime minister tell us how many more people are out of work and claiming universal credit since he took office?
“The prime minister does not want to say how many more people are out of work and claiming universal credit since he took office; perhaps he does not know. Let me tell him: it is 1.5 million people.”
Since then, Huffpost has revealed that Penny Young, interim chair of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), has written to Badenoch to criticise the way the Tory leader presented the figures.
She pointed out that the increase in Universal Credit claimants was partly down to the policies of the last Tory government.
Young wrote: “While it is accurate to state that welfare spending has increased, we are concerned that the way the statistic was presented could lead to a misunderstanding.
“In particular, the statement may be interpreted as suggesting that the growth in Universal Credit caseloads began with, and is primarily attributable to, the policies of the current government.
“In practice, the increase in Universal Credit claims over the period you referred to is not solely the result of additional people entering the benefits system. A substantial proportion reflects the ongoing transfer of claimants from legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
“This process has been a longstanding policy and has been implemented at scale by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) since May 2022, predating the current administration.”
The letter went on to add that omitting context can ‘inadvertently undermine trust in both statistics and those who use them’.
Badenoch caught telling lies again.
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