UK public data, by local authority district
StatsMapped

The count stood at 5,390 in July 2026. That is 1.1% lower 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.

Rankings →

Claimant count — Reading

5,390, latest July 2026 (-1.1% year on year, from 5,450).

The count stood at 5,390 in July 2026. That is 1.1% lower than a year earlier. The series peaked at 7,180 in March 2021; the latest figure is 24.9% below that peak. Its low point was 1,400 in November 2015; the latest reading is 285% 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 — Reading, every published period
PeriodValue
July 20265,390
June 20265,360
May 20265,375
April 20265,485
March 20265,525
February 20265,530
January 20265,365
December 20255,385
November 20255,345
October 20255,345
September 20255,440
August 20255,370
July 20255,450
June 20255,570
May 20255,485
April 20255,490
March 20255,495
February 20255,460
January 20255,280
December 20245,315
November 20245,330
October 20245,380
September 20245,380
August 20245,415
July 20245,500
June 20245,180
May 20244,975
April 20244,950
March 20244,960
February 20244,890
January 20244,725
December 20234,725
November 20234,640
October 20234,620
September 20234,595
August 20234,505
July 20234,475
June 20234,450
May 20234,375
April 20234,490
March 20234,390
February 20234,310
January 20234,190
December 20224,275
November 20224,290
October 20224,330
September 20224,300
August 20224,245
July 20224,275
June 20224,350
May 20224,365
April 20224,430
March 20224,550
February 20224,735
January 20224,795
December 20214,955
November 20215,100
October 20215,325
September 20215,525
August 20215,830
July 20216,045
June 20216,260
May 20216,750
April 20217,150
March 20217,180
February 20217,125
January 20216,820
December 20206,825
November 20206,800
October 20206,650
September 20206,915
August 20206,945
July 20206,795
June 20206,700
May 20206,745
April 20204,610
March 20203,050
February 20203,005
January 20202,930
December 20192,925
November 20192,925
October 20192,935
September 20192,865
August 20192,850
July 20192,800
June 20192,765
May 20192,675
April 20192,655
March 20192,625
February 20192,615
January 20192,460
December 20182,410
November 20182,360
October 20182,315
September 20182,225
August 20182,225
July 20182,145
June 20182,050
May 20181,950
April 20181,930
March 20181,730
February 20181,700
January 20181,650
December 20171,645
November 20171,705
October 20171,690
September 20171,675
August 20171,745
July 20171,790
June 20171,805
May 20171,815
April 20171,800
March 20171,755
February 20171,740
January 20171,620
December 20161,585
November 20161,625
October 20161,590
September 20161,545
August 20161,535
July 20161,545
June 20161,540
May 20161,510
April 20161,495
March 20161,500
February 20161,525
January 20161,460
December 20151,410
November 20151,400
October 20151,425
September 20151,500
August 20151,425
July 20151,470
June 20151,450
May 20151,490
April 20151,530
March 20151,615
February 20151,665
January 20151,610
December 20141,540
November 20141,630
October 20141,700
September 20141,785
August 20141,860
July 20141,900
June 20141,995
May 20142,145
April 20142,220
March 20142,355
February 20142,440
January 20142,415
December 20132,335
November 20132,365
October 20132,480
September 20132,615
August 20132,785
July 20132,920
June 20133,055
May 20133,340
April 20133,475
March 20133,640
February 20133,695
January 20133,650
December 20123,585
November 20123,680
October 20123,640
September 20123,685
August 20123,730
July 20123,700
June 20123,670
May 20123,735
April 20123,800
March 20123,880
February 20123,900
January 20123,795
December 20113,645
November 20113,660
October 20113,680
September 20113,745
August 20113,795
July 20113,670
June 20113,530
May 20113,585
April 20113,690
March 20113,790
February 20113,705
January 20113,635
December 20103,445
November 20103,500
October 20103,590
September 20103,710
August 20103,755
July 20103,780
June 20103,790
May 20103,950
April 20104,075
March 20104,170
February 20104,215
January 20104,195
December 20093,975
November 20094,100
October 20094,420
September 20094,260
August 20094,465
July 20094,350
June 20094,185
May 20094,190
April 20094,140
March 20093,795
February 20093,445
January 20092,755
December 20082,480
November 20082,330
October 20082,035
September 20082,035
August 20081,950
July 20081,780
June 20081,655
May 20081,710
April 20081,680
March 20081,695
February 20081,720
January 20081,710
December 20071,725
November 20071,800
October 20071,840
September 20072,045
August 20072,040
July 20071,975
June 20071,955
May 20071,980
April 20072,130
March 20072,200
February 20072,220
January 20072,195
December 20062,150
November 20062,185
October 20062,305
September 20062,395
August 20062,125
July 20062,475
June 20062,505
May 20062,305
April 20062,220
March 20062,300
February 20062,295
January 20062,265
December 20052,145
November 20052,105
October 20051,925
September 20051,770
August 20051,735
July 20051,760
June 20051,810
May 20051,825
April 20051,850
March 20051,990
February 20051,925
January 20051,955
December 20041,940
November 20041,980
October 20042,005
September 20041,990
August 20041,780
July 20041,810
June 20041,835
May 20041,960
April 20041,950
March 20042,155
February 20042,150
January 20042,075
December 20031,955
November 20032,080
October 20032,175
September 20032,305
August 20032,220
July 20032,175
June 20032,160
May 20032,160
April 20032,210
March 20032,175
February 20032,215
January 20032,175
December 20021,965
November 20022,050
October 20022,120
September 20022,110
August 20022,020
July 20021,940
June 20021,880
May 20021,990
April 20021,920
March 20021,860
February 20021,795
January 20021,695
December 20011,615
November 20011,585
October 20011,455
September 20011,445
August 20011,490
July 20011,420
June 20011,435
May 20011,515
April 20011,495
March 20011,615
February 20011,655
January 20011,660
December 20001,655
November 20001,705
October 20001,705
September 20001,690
August 20001,820
July 20001,695
June 20001,745
May 20001,760
April 20001,840
March 20001,925
February 20002,005
January 20001,950
December 19991,760
November 19991,830
October 19991,890
September 19992,045
August 19992,025
July 19991,965
June 19991,885
May 19991,990
April 19991,975
March 19992,045
February 19992,145
January 19992,110
December 19981,860
November 19981,915
October 19981,950
September 19982,055
August 19982,085
July 19982,075
June 19982,000
May 19982,035
April 19982,120
March 19982,100
February 19982,115
January 19982,255
December 19972,075
November 19972,095
October 19972,190
September 19972,455
August 19972,480
July 19972,560
June 19972,620
May 19972,810
April 19972,975
March 19973,105
February 19973,285
January 19973,530
December 19963,540
November 19963,695
October 19964,075
September 19964,215
August 19964,345
July 19964,370
June 19964,245
May 19964,430
April 19964,675
March 19964,740
February 19964,910
January 19964,955
December 19954,905
November 19954,840
October 19954,975
September 19955,125
August 19955,235
July 19955,245
June 19955,210
May 19955,335
April 19955,515
March 19955,550
February 19955,680
January 19955,755
December 19945,570
November 19945,615
October 19945,770
September 19946,105
August 19946,350
July 19946,415
June 19946,320
May 19946,425
April 19946,670
March 19946,725
February 19946,840
January 19946,915
December 19936,785
November 19936,915
October 19936,950
September 19936,885
August 19936,965
July 19936,845
June 19936,730
May 19936,870
April 19936,965
March 19936,935
February 19936,940
January 19936,900
December 19926,755
November 19926,400
October 19926,285
September 19926,350
August 19926,285
July 19926,115
June 19925,990
May 19926,185
April 19926,155
March 19926,010
February 19926,015
January 19925,855
December 19915,625
November 19915,345
October 19915,175
September 19915,140
August 19915,060
July 19914,860
June 19914,470
May 19914,285
April 19914,015
March 19913,915
February 19913,565
January 19913,155
December 19902,965
November 19902,615
October 19902,455
September 19902,360
August 19902,290
July 19902,120
June 19901,935
May 19901,915
April 19901,940
March 19901,905
February 19901,925
January 19901,985
December 19891,920
November 19891,790
October 19891,830
September 19891,930
August 19891,980
July 19891,975
June 19891,920
May 19892,040
April 19892,140
March 19892,220
February 19892,360
January 19892,425
December 19882,475
November 19882,540
October 19882,630
September 19883,090
August 19883,000
July 19883,145
June 19883,265
May 19883,500
April 19883,780
March 19883,895
February 19884,090
January 19884,205
December 19874,245
November 19874,240
October 19874,360
September 19874,655
August 19874,890
July 19874,935
June 19874,955
May 19875,185
April 19875,560
March 19875,720
February 19875,855
January 19875,955
December 19865,890
November 19865,875
October 19866,020
September 19866,210
August 19866,415
July 19866,510
June 19866,370
May 19866,495
April 19866,700
March 19866,815
February 19866,850
January 19866,785

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 — Reading
5,390 for Reading, 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 5 Sep 2026.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Claimant Count (via Nomis)
https://statsmapped.com/united-kingdom/local-authority/reading/claimant-count

See every dataset published for Reading

See the full ranking, every local authority district compared

See how this compares with other datasets →