Adam Smith Institute

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Not one of Wales's 32 constituencies collects more in income tax and National Insurance than it spends on welfare. Across Wales, welfare spending is nearly double what workers pay in, a gap of £3,062 per adult. That is worse than every English region except the North East.

Explore more in the ASI's Welfare Sustainability Tracker. 👇

Labour-held Chelsea and Fulham and Liberal Democrat Richmond Park are the two seats in England with the lowest welfare dependency, spending under 27p in welfare per £1 of income tax and National Insurance their workers pay in. Birmingham Perry Barr, the most welfare-dependent seat, is held by an Independent and spends £4.41 in welfare per £1 of tax paid by its workers.

Explore the ASI's new Welfare Sustainability Tracker at buff.ly/ltyWwQH

Constituencies with the highest welfare spending per adult in England and Wales tend to have younger populations, more children, higher rates of disability, and greater concentrations of social housing than England as a whole; low-welfare constituencies have fewer children, fewer people with disabilities, and far more people with university degrees than average.

Explore the ASI's new Welfare Sustainability Tracker at buff.ly/ltyWwQH

75% of constituencies in England and Wales spend more on welfare than their workers pay in income tax and National Insurance. London and the South East are the only regions that are net contributors; the North East is the most welfare-dependent region in England.

Explore the ASI's new Welfare Sustainability Tracker at buff.ly/ltyWwQH