UK public data, by local authority district
StatsMapped

The count stood at 5,345 in July 2026. That is 1.5% higher than a year earlier.

Why the caveats matter

Every figure carries the publisher's own caveats. Where a statistic is published for a wider area than the one you clicked, or where the publisher itself flags it as unreliable, the page says so rather than quietly rounding it off.

The UK's four nations publish separately, so some figures stop at a border: house sale prices cover England and Wales, road collisions Great Britain. Pupil absence is published for England, but not every English district individually — some are reported only as part of their wider county. An area with fewer datasets isn't missing data — either its nation publishes that statistic through a different body, or (pupil absence only) its own district isn't reported separately.

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Claimant count — Bedford

5,345, latest July 2026 (+1.5% year on year, from 5,265).

The count stood at 5,345 in July 2026. That is 1.5% higher than a year earlier. The series peaked at 7,435 in March 2021; the latest figure is 28.1% below that peak. Its low point was 1,880 in November 2004; the latest reading is 184% above that.

This is the claimant count: people claiming Universal Credit while required to look for work, or Jobseeker's Allowance. It is not the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate comes from the ONS Labour Force Survey and counts everyone without a job who is looking for one, whether or not they claim a benefit.

Show the numbers (487 periods)
Claimant count — Bedford, every published period
PeriodValue
July 20265,345
June 20265,325
May 20265,300
April 20265,285
March 20265,365
February 20265,335
January 20265,075
December 20255,165
November 20255,190
October 20255,315
September 20255,260
August 20255,225
July 20255,265
June 20255,370
May 20255,390
April 20255,410
March 20255,500
February 20255,455
January 20255,175
December 20245,145
November 20245,125
October 20245,250
September 20245,335
August 20245,350
July 20245,290
June 20244,770
May 20244,730
April 20244,690
March 20244,730
February 20244,775
January 20244,710
December 20234,735
November 20234,675
October 20234,740
September 20234,660
August 20234,665
July 20234,690
June 20234,495
May 20234,525
April 20234,635
March 20234,450
February 20234,350
January 20234,240
December 20224,215
November 20224,210
October 20224,245
September 20224,305
August 20224,300
July 20224,285
June 20224,390
May 20224,520
April 20224,660
March 20224,900
February 20225,045
January 20225,040
December 20215,210
November 20215,390
October 20215,545
September 20215,750
August 20216,045
July 20216,245
June 20216,325
May 20216,865
April 20217,305
March 20217,435
February 20217,320
January 20216,810
December 20206,850
November 20206,935
October 20206,885
September 20207,290
August 20207,355
July 20207,285
June 20207,115
May 20207,320
April 20205,670
March 20203,510
February 20203,510
January 20203,460
December 20193,420
November 20193,475
October 20193,490
September 20193,525
August 20193,500
July 20193,530
June 20193,460
May 20193,345
April 20193,345
March 20193,370
February 20193,335
January 20193,160
December 20183,220
November 20183,250
October 20183,320
September 20183,275
August 20183,245
July 20183,160
June 20183,110
May 20183,120
April 20183,345
March 20183,005
February 20182,970
January 20182,710
December 20172,670
November 20172,605
October 20172,560
September 20172,455
August 20172,380
July 20172,310
June 20172,210
May 20172,230
April 20172,245
March 20172,170
February 20172,150
January 20172,035
December 20161,895
November 20161,955
October 20162,045
September 20162,110
August 20162,135
July 20162,165
June 20162,135
May 20162,165
April 20162,175
March 20162,220
February 20162,250
January 20162,130
December 20152,045
November 20152,100
October 20152,230
September 20152,260
August 20152,315
July 20152,295
June 20152,245
May 20152,265
April 20152,315
March 20152,350
February 20152,365
January 20152,270
December 20142,185
November 20142,225
October 20142,355
September 20142,595
August 20142,690
July 20142,765
June 20142,870
May 20142,975
April 20143,050
March 20143,200
February 20143,265
January 20143,210
December 20133,070
November 20133,200
October 20133,450
September 20133,725
August 20133,930
July 20134,070
June 20134,070
May 20134,155
April 20134,205
March 20134,275
February 20134,365
January 20134,155
December 20123,985
November 20124,050
October 20124,225
September 20124,315
August 20124,350
July 20124,290
June 20124,290
May 20124,275
April 20124,255
March 20124,315
February 20124,280
January 20124,220
December 20114,080
November 20114,065
October 20114,120
September 20114,205
August 20114,200
July 20114,125
June 20113,905
May 20114,030
April 20113,970
March 20113,805
February 20113,770
January 20113,640
December 20103,550
November 20103,555
October 20103,645
September 20103,745
August 20103,725
July 20103,700
June 20103,620
May 20103,855
April 20104,165
March 20104,110
February 20104,130
January 20104,185
December 20093,830
November 20093,890
October 20094,020
September 20094,075
August 20094,160
July 20094,145
June 20094,120
May 20094,170
April 20094,090
March 20093,935
February 20093,595
January 20093,115
December 20082,775
November 20082,520
October 20082,395
September 20082,400
August 20082,360
July 20082,265
June 20082,175
May 20082,135
April 20082,070
March 20082,030
February 20082,010
January 20081,925
December 20071,920
November 20071,945
October 20072,050
September 20072,180
August 20072,255
July 20072,300
June 20072,260
May 20072,245
April 20072,255
March 20072,365
February 20072,435
January 20072,375
December 20062,310
November 20062,410
October 20062,445
September 20062,400
August 20062,495
July 20062,475
June 20062,340
May 20062,290
April 20062,275
March 20062,325
February 20062,270
January 20062,215
December 20052,045
November 20052,045
October 20052,085
September 20052,055
August 20052,085
July 20052,155
June 20052,100
May 20052,120
April 20052,120
March 20052,125
February 20052,085
January 20052,085
December 20041,930
November 20041,880
October 20041,955
September 20042,055
August 20042,115
July 20042,065
June 20042,115
May 20042,185
April 20042,175
March 20042,210
February 20042,315
January 20042,205
December 20032,075
November 20032,025
October 20032,090
September 20032,205
August 20032,320
July 20032,330
June 20032,355
May 20032,335
April 20032,290
March 20032,325
February 20032,460
January 20032,445
December 20022,290
November 20022,185
October 20022,280
September 20022,345
August 20022,340
July 20022,360
June 20022,340
May 20022,295
April 20022,240
March 20022,210
February 20022,240
January 20022,200
December 20012,070
November 20012,040
October 20012,080
September 20012,145
August 20012,155
July 20012,180
June 20012,145
May 20012,135
April 20012,130
March 20012,195
February 20012,230
January 20012,125
December 20002,010
November 20001,970
October 20001,965
September 20002,020
August 20002,140
July 20002,065
June 20002,100
May 20002,135
April 20002,205
March 20002,225
February 20002,300
January 20002,315
December 19992,170
November 19992,170
October 19992,260
September 19992,440
August 19992,530
July 19992,495
June 19992,430
May 19992,485
April 19992,545
March 19992,625
February 19992,615
January 19992,640
December 19982,515
November 19982,465
October 19982,520
September 19982,660
August 19982,725
July 19982,680
June 19982,570
May 19982,570
April 19982,605
March 19982,630
February 19982,670
January 19982,640
December 19972,540
November 19972,580
October 19972,765
September 19973,030
August 19973,200
July 19973,185
June 19973,115
May 19973,220
April 19973,290
March 19973,435
February 19973,555
January 19973,700
December 19963,765
November 19963,760
October 19964,055
September 19964,420
August 19964,525
July 19964,430
June 19964,310
May 19964,490
April 19964,440
March 19964,455
February 19964,585
January 19964,595
December 19954,535
November 19954,445
October 19954,600
September 19954,935
August 19955,120
July 19955,170
June 19954,970
May 19955,120
April 19955,165
March 19955,065
February 19955,155
January 19955,250
December 19945,040
November 19945,060
October 19945,230
September 19945,750
August 19945,930
July 19945,910
June 19945,725
May 19945,895
April 19946,050
March 19946,105
February 19946,195
January 19946,305
December 19936,125
November 19936,155
October 19936,215
September 19936,600
August 19936,720
July 19936,785
June 19936,480
May 19936,690
April 19936,855
March 19936,650
February 19936,720
January 19936,710
December 19926,460
November 19926,065
October 19926,055
September 19926,125
August 19925,965
July 19925,660
June 19925,670
May 19925,750
April 19925,555
March 19925,390
February 19925,385
January 19925,175
December 19914,870
November 19914,785
October 19914,670
September 19914,850
August 19914,800
July 19914,625
June 19914,340
May 19914,265
April 19914,210
March 19914,060
February 19913,740
January 19913,405
December 19903,180
November 19902,925
October 19902,810
September 19902,740
August 19902,680
July 19902,635
June 19902,485
May 19902,405
April 19902,420
March 19902,305
February 19902,280
January 19902,195
December 19892,055
November 19891,955
October 19891,925
September 19891,995
August 19892,070
July 19892,100
June 19892,005
May 19892,070
April 19892,110
March 19892,225
February 19892,255
January 19892,350
December 19882,335
November 19882,390
October 19882,575
September 19883,055
August 19882,995
July 19883,270
June 19883,385
May 19883,520
April 19883,730
March 19883,875
February 19883,955
January 19884,155
December 19874,085
November 19874,110
October 19874,275
September 19874,570
August 19874,590
July 19874,735
June 19874,735
May 19874,805
April 19875,060
March 19875,215
February 19875,350
January 19875,400
December 19865,275
November 19865,280
October 19865,395
September 19865,635
August 19865,590
July 19865,610
June 19865,480
May 19865,505
April 19865,710
March 19865,790
February 19865,855
January 19866,005

What these terms mean

Claimant count
The number of people claiming Universal Credit while required to look for work, or claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. It is not the unemployment rate: it includes some people working part-time and excludes unemployed people who don't claim. Source
Local authority district
The council area a statistic is published for -- 361 across the UK. In England these are boroughs, districts and unitary authorities; in Scotland, council areas; in Wales, principal areas; in Northern Ireland, districts.

Before you use these figures

  • Not a measure of unemployment: The claimant count is a count of people claiming Universal Credit (who are required to seek work) or Jobseeker's Allowance, not a count of unemployed people. It includes some people in part-time work and excludes people who are unemployed but not claiming. ONS's Labour Force Survey is the measure of unemployment, and is a different figure.
  • Four nations, one series: Universal Credit and Jobseeker's Allowance operate UK-wide, so this series is directly comparable across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland -- unlike some UK statistics that are only published for some nations.
  • Latest figure: July 2026 — 3 months old: This dataset is published monthly and the publisher hasn't released anything newer. Nothing is missing from this page.

Cite this figure:

Claimant count — Bedford
5,345 for Bedford, July 2026
Caveats: Not a measure of unemployment; Four nations, one series; Latest figure: July 2026 — 3 months old
StatsMapped last confirmed this figure unchanged on 4 Sep 2026.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Claimant Count (via Nomis)
https://statsmapped.com/united-kingdom/local-authority/bedford/claimant-count

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