Claimant count

Numbers of people claiming unemployment-related benefit. A more timely dataset than local unemployment rates.

Labour market Poverty and deprivation
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What is the claimant count?

The claimant count dataset is a monthly estiimate from the Office for National Statistics of people claiming benefits because they are seeking work. It gives indications of local levels of unemployment that are more timely than the official unemployment rate and has data for smaller areas. It is described as an experimental dataset as the methodology is evolving.

Rules about who can claim these benefits can change and comparisons of rates over time should take such changes unto account. Some claimants are not unemployed but are low paid workers required to seek a new job to be eligible for the benefit. Not everyone who stops claiming these benefits moves into employment, some people become economically inactive and are no longer eligible.

The latest claimant count data was released on 21st January 2025 and included data up to and including December 2024.


North East claimants

48,490

North East total (Dec 2024)

Down by 450 from
the November 2024 total

+2,645

compared to a year earlier

Latest total up by 5.8%
from 45,845 (Dec 2023).

-3,770

compared to the same month, pre-COVID

Down by 7.2% from the
December 2019 total.

COVID related peak in August 2020

it had increased by 65% from the
immediate pre-COVID total in March 2020.

North East claimant count, latest six years


Claimant count rate comparisons 

4.0%

North East claimant count rate

(% of 16-64 population),
slightly above England excl. London,
gap is the smallest this century.
 

3rd

lowest among nine similar areas

comparing the English combined authority areas in the north and midlands

5.3%

South Tyneside rate

the highest rate among the seven North East local authority areas.

N.E. rate lower than in 2019

compared to same month, pre-Covid.
The national rate is higher, as are
rates in most combined authority areas.


North East claimants by age and sex

1 in 5

North East claimants are under 25

24% are 25 to 34, 25% are 35 to 44,
16% are 45 to 54, 15% are 55 plus.

58%

of North East claimants are male

More males in each age group.
63% of claimants under 30 are male,
% of females largest aged 35-44.

 

-3,670

change in claimants aged under 35

since December 2019,
aged 35 to 49: 1,740 increase,
aged 50 to 64: 2,175 decrease. 
 

4.7%

North East male claimant rate

Female rate: 3.3%
smallest gap this century.


Further analysis 

The evidence hub includes other data reports that provide information about people who are not in work. It also features analysis of the labour market as a whole. Most of the raw data for these reports can be downloaded from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Unemployment rate

North East data report including using survey based estimates of the number of people who are not in work but are actively seekng employment.

Economic inactivity rate

North East data report about the number of non-workers who are not actively seeking employment and their reasons for inactivity.

North East labour market homepage

The evidence hub landing page that includes links to data reports on employment, unemployment, and economic inactivity.

Nomis labour market statistics

An ONS website providing a flexible way to access up-to-date official statistics for local areas. All aspects of the labour market are covered, along with population estimates and some economic data.

Regional labour market statistics

A data report focusing on the monthly labour market statistical release for the broader North East region. More up to date than combined authority level data, but less detailed.