Four million Britons now claim jobless benefits without any requirement to find work, new figures have revealed.
New Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) data shows there has been a surge of more than one million people now claiming benefits under this arrangement since Labour came to power.
A record number of Britons are also now claiming Universal Credit (UC) - 8.3 million people in October compared to 7.2 million at this time last year.
This number equates to roughly a quarter of the British working-age population.
The DWP data also found a 50 per cent increase in UC claimants who have no requirement to work since Sir Keir Starmer entered No10.
The increase of more than a million jobless benefits claimants in England, Wales and Scotland represents the largest spike since the pandemic.
Between September and October, 159,654 more UC claimants were recorded - the sharpest rise since June 2020.
DWP figures also showed the number of people born overseas claiming UC has hit record highs, with an estimated 1.24 million relying on the benefit.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately labelled the latest figures as 'shocking'
| PAShadow Work & Pensions Secretary Helen Whately labelled the latest figures "shocking" and that jabbed was "classic Labour".
She added: "That's millions of people not expected to work, when many of them could and should be contributing to our economy.
"The spineless Prime Minister has already shown he's not prepared to take the tough decisions our country need.
"He caved into his left-wing backbenchers on welfare reform and now it looks like he'll do the same with two-child benefit cap.
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Some 8.3 million people claimed Universal Credit from the DWP in October compared to 7.2 million at this time last year
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"It's classic Labour to pay more to people on benefits who have large families by picking the pockets of hard-working taxpayers."
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Government is forecast to have spent £313billion on welfare in 2024/25 - 10.9 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Welfare spending is projected to rise to £373.4billion by 2030.
There are also growing fears that the sharp rise could cause the entire benefits system to collapse.
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Government is forecast to have spent £313billion on welfare in 2024/25
|UK GOVERNMENT
Earlier this year, the PM was forced to back down on cutting Britain's benefits bill after Labour rebels threatened to block its passage.
A spokesman for the DWP said: "The number of people receiving Universal Credit has been increasing as we have invited tens of thousands of people each month to move from legacy benefits as they become phased out.
"We're determined to get more people off welfare and into work.
"That's why we are stepping up our plan to Get Britain Working with the most ambitious employment reforms in a generation."
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