Teens and young adults account for almost a third of anxiety disorder PIP claimants, data suggests

Teens and young adults make up almost one-third of people claiming disability benefits for anxiety disorders, according to new research.

Data from the Department of Work and Pensions showed that at the end of July, there were 24,681 claimants of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in England and Wales with a primary condition of anxiety disorder who had received the benefit for up to two years.

Of that number, it was found that 7,403 were aged 16 to 24 - around 30% - and 5,445 were aged 25 to 34 - around 22%.

The Press Association, which analysed the government data, noted that several types of anxiety disorder are included in that figure, including panic disorder and social phobias.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Jed Boardman told the PA that the figures as they are officially recorded likely "don't tell the whole story", as many people will have "multiple disabling conditions", made up of mental and physical health symptoms.

"The diagnostic statistics that the government has produced may help us understand the general picture, but they don't reveal the necessary level of detail," he added.

"They can be misleading because they only tell a portion of the story about those people."

It comes after the Timms report found in July that PIP is "not fit for purpose," can create barriers to work, and is not working as intended.

PIP particularly acts as a barrier for people with fluctuating conditions, less visible conditions, or multiple conditions, the report found.

Led by social security minister Sir Stephen Timms, the review was commissioned last June as part of a climbdown by the government over changes it wanted to make to the welfare system to try and rein in its ballooning cost.

Another report published in April suggested that young people and children are being incentivised to get diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

It also follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham warning in The Times of an "economic catastrophe and moral failure" over young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) - following the interim Milburn report earlier this year.

That review found that one in eight 16 to 24-year-olds are not employed and risk becoming a "lost generation" without urgent intervention.

In response to the PA's analysis of PIP data, a government spokesperson said: "The increase in the PIP caseload has slowed under this government, falling from 400,000 in the 12 months to July 2024, to 260,000 in the 12 months to July 2026.

"But as the Timms Review report made clear, PIP is no longer fit for purpose, and the recommendations from its final report will lay the foundation for sustainable reform.

"We have also invested in mental health support in schools, colleges and communities, as part of a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention, to make sure that people receive the right help, at the right time - including responding to the findings from Professor Fonagy's independent review."

(c) Sky News 2026: Teens and young adults account for almost a third of anxiety disorder PIP claimants, data su