The total amount of unclaimed benefits in the UK is now £22.7 billion a year, analysis has found.
The figure includes more than £5bn in unclaimed benefits that are locally administered, including £3.4bn in unclaimed council tax support.
Overall, 8.4 million people could be missing out on an average of £2,700 per year in rights-based benefits, the research by Policy in Practice found.
The social policy and analytics firm said money was going unclaimed because of a lack of awareness about available support, the complexity claimants face in navigating the system, and the stigma surrounding benefits.
Policy in Practice director Deven Ghelani said: ‘Support from the social security system is a right.
‘The failure to deliver support to people who are entitled to it directly affects education, health outcomes and social participation for millions of people.’
The total figure for unclaimed support is £4bn higher than previous estimates, which Policy in Practice said was due to the uprating of benefits, Universal Credit rollout, and refined estimates on take-up rates.
