Young adults make up 30% of recent anxiety PIP claimants

About 30% of people in England and Wales who had received Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for anxiety for up to two years were aged 16 to 24, according to figures covering claimants at the end of July 2026. A further 22% were aged 25 to 34. The figures show that 7,403 of 24,681 recent claimants had anxiety disorder recorded as their primary condition and were aged 16 to 24. Another 5,445 were in the 25-to-34 age group. Together, those under 35 made up more than half of this group of recent claimants. The data concerns people whose primary recorded condition was anxiety disorder, not all PIP recipients or everyone with anxiety. PIP is a disability benefit for people whose long-term physical or mental health condition affects their daily lives. The figures include different anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and social phobia. Dr Jed Boardman, a consultant psychiatrist, cautioned that the diagnostic statistics do not show the full complexity of claimants’ health. He said claimants may have multiple disabling conditions, including combinations of physical and mental health symptoms, and that the recorded figures may omit important detail. The broader claimant figures...