UK public data, by local authority district
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The count stood at 8,685 in July 2026. That is 8.8% 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 — Wakefield

8,685, latest July 2026 (+8.8% year on year, from 7,980).

The count stood at 8,685 in July 2026. That is 8.8% higher than a year earlier. The series peaked at 21,075 in April 1986; the latest figure is 58.8% below that peak. Its low point was 3,405 in November 2004; the latest reading is 155% 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 — Wakefield, every published period
PeriodValue
July 20268,685
June 20268,535
May 20268,550
April 20268,590
March 20268,685
February 20268,495
January 20267,955
December 20257,840
November 20257,770
October 20257,970
September 20257,920
August 20258,040
July 20257,980
June 20257,975
May 20257,990
April 20258,100
March 20258,265
February 20258,375
January 20258,005
December 20248,005
November 20248,255
October 20248,525
September 20248,610
August 20248,730
July 20248,660
June 20248,140
May 20248,055
April 20248,080
March 20248,040
February 20248,040
January 20247,825
December 20237,775
November 20237,680
October 20237,505
September 20237,495
August 20237,710
July 20237,820
June 20237,795
May 20237,795
April 20238,145
March 20238,020
February 20237,815
January 20237,670
December 20227,530
November 20227,560
October 20227,690
September 20227,775
August 20227,780
July 20227,695
June 20227,690
May 20227,880
April 20228,260
March 20228,650
February 20228,890
January 20228,935
December 20219,230
November 20219,600
October 20219,995
September 202110,375
August 202110,840
July 202111,200
June 202111,460
May 202112,290
April 202113,035
March 202113,270
February 202113,295
January 202112,525
December 202012,625
November 202012,680
October 202012,725
September 202013,155
August 202013,220
July 202013,285
June 202013,135
May 202013,660
April 202011,145
March 20206,920
February 20206,875
January 20206,420
December 20196,400
November 20196,310
October 20196,125
September 20196,055
August 20195,980
July 20195,785
June 20195,645
May 20195,470
April 20195,355
March 20195,125
February 20194,660
January 20194,280
December 20183,920
November 20184,000
October 20184,005
September 20184,095
August 20184,145
July 20183,960
June 20184,090
May 20184,280
April 20184,355
March 20184,410
February 20184,305
January 20184,040
December 20173,840
November 20173,890
October 20173,840
September 20173,940
August 20173,990
July 20173,965
June 20174,020
May 20174,195
April 20174,270
March 20174,340
February 20174,210
January 20173,950
December 20163,710
November 20163,750
October 20164,015
September 20164,035
August 20163,900
July 20163,740
June 20163,830
May 20163,890
April 20164,065
March 20164,175
February 20164,195
January 20163,980
December 20153,615
November 20153,630
October 20153,960
September 20154,165
August 20154,430
July 20154,470
June 20154,680
May 20154,815
April 20155,105
March 20155,235
February 20155,465
January 20154,970
December 20144,670
November 20144,715
October 20144,985
September 20145,335
August 20145,570
July 20145,915
June 20146,120
May 20146,730
April 20147,030
March 20147,365
February 20147,505
January 20147,235
December 20136,920
November 20137,055
October 20137,535
September 20138,035
August 20138,595
July 20138,880
June 20139,275
May 20139,825
April 201310,050
March 201310,210
February 201310,185
January 20139,720
December 20129,150
November 20128,965
October 20129,065
September 20129,275
August 20129,575
July 20129,405
June 20129,535
May 20129,720
April 20129,670
March 20129,925
February 20129,870
January 20129,640
December 20118,945
November 20118,790
October 20118,935
September 20119,205
August 20119,220
July 20118,955
June 20118,670
May 20118,730
April 20118,930
March 20119,075
February 20119,040
January 20118,795
December 20108,130
November 20107,955
October 20108,020
September 20108,075
August 20108,150
July 20107,815
June 20108,010
May 20108,585
April 20108,945
March 20109,000
February 20109,405
January 20109,400
December 20098,775
November 20098,770
October 20099,025
September 20099,100
August 20099,450
July 20099,180
June 20099,190
May 20099,375
April 20099,280
March 20099,060
February 20098,530
January 20097,400
December 20086,730
November 20085,855
October 20085,480
September 20085,255
August 20085,115
July 20084,805
June 20084,525
May 20084,630
April 20084,575
March 20084,530
February 20084,445
January 20084,330
December 20073,985
November 20073,895
October 20074,090
September 20074,220
August 20074,375
July 20074,440
June 20074,525
May 20074,755
April 20074,955
March 20075,090
February 20075,280
January 20075,265
December 20064,815
November 20064,735
October 20064,810
September 20065,035
August 20065,350
July 20065,345
June 20065,225
May 20065,465
April 20065,545
March 20065,605
February 20065,405
January 20065,235
December 20054,630
November 20054,515
October 20054,385
September 20054,535
August 20054,620
July 20054,595
June 20054,405
May 20054,400
April 20054,420
March 20054,540
February 20054,395
January 20054,220
December 20043,560
November 20043,405
October 20043,465
September 20043,695
August 20043,780
July 20043,640
June 20043,685
May 20043,860
April 20044,110
March 20044,415
February 20044,580
January 20044,755
December 20034,225
November 20034,030
October 20033,965
September 20034,175
August 20034,415
July 20034,570
June 20034,535
May 20034,795
April 20035,065
March 20035,215
February 20035,315
January 20035,170
December 20024,405
November 20024,205
October 20024,215
September 20024,420
August 20024,720
July 20024,750
June 20024,650
May 20024,865
April 20025,220
March 20025,480
February 20025,515
January 20025,550
December 20014,785
November 20014,665
October 20014,780
September 20014,985
August 20015,370
July 20015,345
June 20015,315
May 20015,660
April 20015,860
March 20016,100
February 20016,275
January 20016,165
December 20005,430
November 20005,305
October 20005,425
September 20005,610
August 20005,945
July 20005,885
June 20005,970
May 20006,140
April 20006,370
March 20006,780
February 20007,010
January 20007,120
December 19996,235
November 19996,205
October 19996,340
September 19996,745
August 19997,005
July 19997,065
June 19997,250
May 19997,535
April 19998,205
March 19998,220
February 19998,485
January 19998,420
December 19987,560
November 19987,640
October 19987,570
September 19987,800
August 19988,240
July 19988,145
June 19987,825
May 19988,075
April 19988,495
March 19988,355
February 19988,540
January 19988,685
December 19977,760
November 19977,605
October 19977,890
September 19978,395
August 19978,710
July 19978,650
June 19978,560
May 19979,065
April 19979,535
March 19979,935
February 199710,600
January 199711,035
December 199610,425
November 199610,375
October 199611,000
September 199611,760
August 199612,305
July 199611,725
June 199611,440
May 199611,675
April 199612,285
March 199612,120
February 199612,450
January 199612,415
December 199511,615
November 199511,255
October 199511,415
September 199511,835
August 199512,175
July 199512,015
June 199511,895
May 199512,275
April 199513,065
March 199513,035
February 199513,385
January 199513,700
December 199412,810
November 199412,685
October 199412,920
September 199413,575
August 199413,935
July 199413,880
June 199414,010
May 199414,420
April 199414,995
March 199415,230
February 199415,400
January 199415,770
December 199314,745
November 199314,445
October 199314,515
September 199315,215
August 199315,460
July 199314,775
June 199314,595
May 199314,985
April 199315,760
March 199315,535
February 199315,995
January 199316,150
December 199215,415
November 199214,585
October 199214,495
September 199214,640
August 199214,710
July 199214,515
June 199214,290
May 199214,530
April 199214,445
March 199214,460
February 199214,645
January 199214,350
December 199113,370
November 199112,925
October 199112,880
September 199113,210
August 199113,285
July 199113,085
June 199112,640
May 199112,740
April 199112,695
March 199112,485
February 199111,795
January 199111,565
December 199010,575
November 19909,990
October 19909,835
September 19909,915
August 19909,900
July 19909,860
June 19909,485
May 19909,670
April 199010,185
March 199010,510
February 199010,860
January 199010,810
December 198910,230
November 198910,200
October 198910,660
September 198911,765
August 198911,730
July 198911,940
June 198911,890
May 198912,285
April 198912,940
March 198913,460
February 198913,885
January 198914,325
December 198813,950
November 198813,910
October 198814,280
September 198815,720
August 198815,635
July 198815,950
June 198816,385
May 198816,940
April 198817,680
March 198817,245
February 198817,590
January 198817,790
December 198717,220
November 198717,195
October 198717,490
September 198718,215
August 198717,755
July 198718,220
June 198718,575
May 198719,040
April 198719,595
March 198719,665
February 198720,100
January 198720,285
December 198619,600
November 198619,720
October 198620,110
September 198621,015
August 198620,385
July 198620,470
June 198620,410
May 198620,715
April 198621,075
March 198620,305
February 198620,690
January 198620,860

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.
  • Not adjusted for population, September 1989: This area's September 1989 figure was 11,765, well outside the typical range for other areas that reported for September 1989 (median about 2,635 across 349 other areas). This figure is a raw count, not adjusted for population — a larger area is expected to report a larger number regardless of anything unusual happening there. Not itself a sign of a data problem.

Cite this figure:

Claimant count — Wakefield
8,685 for Wakefield, July 2026
Caveats: Not a measure of unemployment; Four nations, one series; Latest figure: July 2026 — 3 months old; Not adjusted for population, September 1989
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/wakefield/claimant-count

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