UK public data, by local authority district
StatsMapped

The count stood at 3,220 in July 2026. That is 1.6% 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 — Watford

3,220, latest July 2026 (+1.6% year on year, from 3,170).

The count stood at 3,220 in July 2026. That is 1.6% higher than a year earlier. The series peaked at 4,450 in August 1993; the latest figure is 27.6% below that peak. Its low point was 715 in April 2008; the latest reading is 350% 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 — Watford, every published period
PeriodValue
July 20263,220
June 20263,195
May 20263,130
April 20263,120
March 20263,150
February 20263,125
January 20263,015
December 20252,980
November 20252,990
October 20253,050
September 20253,135
August 20253,195
July 20253,170
June 20253,280
May 20253,180
April 20253,150
March 20253,165
February 20253,155
January 20253,070
December 20243,145
November 20243,155
October 20243,250
September 20243,255
August 20243,090
July 20243,055
June 20242,835
May 20242,685
April 20242,665
March 20242,675
February 20242,755
January 20242,620
December 20232,605
November 20232,560
October 20232,555
September 20232,525
August 20232,540
July 20232,570
June 20232,460
May 20232,390
April 20232,410
March 20232,260
February 20232,200
January 20232,185
December 20222,205
November 20222,180
October 20222,140
September 20222,155
August 20222,160
July 20222,155
June 20222,210
May 20222,210
April 20222,260
March 20222,375
February 20222,455
January 20222,455
December 20212,535
November 20212,645
October 20212,850
September 20213,000
August 20213,185
July 20213,415
June 20213,585
May 20213,940
April 20214,315
March 20214,380
February 20214,400
January 20214,195
December 20204,220
November 20204,220
October 20204,090
September 20204,225
August 20204,250
July 20204,120
June 20203,980
May 20204,110
April 20202,805
March 20201,705
February 20201,640
January 20201,555
December 20191,570
November 20191,575
October 20191,595
September 20191,580
August 20191,560
July 20191,540
June 20191,535
May 20191,490
April 20191,490
March 20191,485
February 20191,480
January 20191,410
December 20181,385
November 20181,385
October 20181,400
September 20181,375
August 20181,340
July 20181,250
June 20181,210
May 20181,160
April 20181,130
March 2018990
February 2018945
January 2018885
December 2017840
November 2017875
October 2017860
September 2017865
August 2017910
July 2017900
June 2017910
May 2017925
April 2017940
March 2017920
February 2017850
January 2017830
December 2016785
November 2016815
October 2016825
September 2016850
August 2016855
July 2016870
June 2016860
May 2016835
April 2016865
March 2016915
February 2016890
January 2016855
December 2015790
November 2015865
October 2015915
September 2015940
August 2015925
July 2015920
June 2015905
May 2015910
April 2015905
March 2015915
February 2015945
January 2015905
December 2014905
November 2014915
October 2014965
September 20141,030
August 20141,075
July 20141,105
June 20141,165
May 20141,280
April 20141,315
March 20141,375
February 20141,355
January 20141,315
December 20131,260
November 20131,340
October 20131,490
September 20131,570
August 20131,650
July 20131,680
June 20131,680
May 20131,785
April 20131,855
March 20131,845
February 20131,885
January 20131,765
December 20121,730
November 20121,750
October 20121,830
September 20121,865
August 20121,840
July 20121,815
June 20121,770
May 20121,845
April 20121,830
March 20121,925
February 20121,885
January 20121,875
December 20111,770
November 20111,790
October 20111,815
September 20111,860
August 20111,840
July 20111,775
June 20111,740
May 20111,720
April 20111,750
March 20111,730
February 20111,720
January 20111,670
December 20101,605
November 20101,665
October 20101,705
September 20101,740
August 20101,755
July 20101,685
June 20101,700
May 20101,780
April 20101,855
March 20101,805
February 20101,920
January 20101,895
December 20091,735
November 20091,760
October 20091,755
September 20091,785
August 20091,795
July 20091,795
June 20091,750
May 20091,765
April 20091,735
March 20091,655
February 20091,550
January 20091,270
December 20081,080
November 2008980
October 2008855
September 2008875
August 2008850
July 2008780
June 2008750
May 2008720
April 2008715
March 2008760
February 2008745
January 2008735
December 2007735
November 2007765
October 2007805
September 2007825
August 2007910
July 2007900
June 2007870
May 2007905
April 2007930
March 20071,020
February 20071,015
January 2007985
December 2006970
November 20061,070
October 20061,065
September 20061,070
August 20061,070
July 20061,095
June 20061,030
May 20061,035
April 20061,065
March 20061,105
February 20061,075
January 20061,050
December 20051,020
November 2005990
October 20051,005
September 20051,080
August 20051,075
July 20051,035
June 2005985
May 2005980
April 2005955
March 2005980
February 2005975
January 2005925
December 2004860
November 2004870
October 2004890
September 2004930
August 2004935
July 2004915
June 2004895
May 2004920
April 2004965
March 2004950
February 2004980
January 2004920
December 2003820
November 2003870
October 2003865
September 2003910
August 2003955
July 2003955
June 2003930
May 2003940
April 2003945
March 2003935
February 2003975
January 2003950
December 2002880
November 2002930
October 2002950
September 20021,015
August 20021,005
July 2002985
June 2002945
May 2002930
April 2002950
March 2002915
February 2002915
January 2002880
December 2001830
November 2001780
October 2001765
September 2001765
August 2001770
July 2001805
June 2001785
May 2001745
April 2001795
March 2001840
February 2001780
January 2001785
December 2000720
November 2000750
October 2000810
September 2000850
August 2000880
July 2000920
June 2000905
May 2000940
April 2000980
March 20001,000
February 20001,035
January 20001,045
December 19991,015
November 1999995
October 19991,085
September 19991,115
August 19991,120
July 19991,080
June 19991,025
May 19991,075
April 19991,110
March 19991,145
February 19991,125
January 19991,060
December 19981,020
November 19981,070
October 19981,090
September 19981,165
August 19981,210
July 19981,200
June 19981,155
May 19981,190
April 19981,195
March 19981,220
February 19981,235
January 19981,240
December 19971,170
November 19971,195
October 19971,265
September 19971,355
August 19971,455
July 19971,430
June 19971,400
May 19971,515
April 19971,560
March 19971,630
February 19971,715
January 19971,815
December 19961,830
November 19961,840
October 19962,015
September 19962,210
August 19962,280
July 19962,230
June 19962,210
May 19962,245
April 19962,310
March 19962,310
February 19962,355
January 19962,405
December 19952,375
November 19952,400
October 19952,455
September 19952,590
August 19952,715
July 19952,715
June 19952,565
May 19952,590
April 19952,670
March 19952,675
February 19952,745
January 19952,780
December 19942,750
November 19942,765
October 19942,875
September 19943,200
August 19943,340
July 19943,365
June 19943,435
May 19943,595
April 19943,760
March 19943,830
February 19943,950
January 19943,975
December 19933,945
November 19933,990
October 19934,090
September 19934,345
August 19934,450
July 19934,360
June 19934,155
May 19934,140
April 19934,170
March 19934,165
February 19934,260
January 19934,220
December 19924,125
November 19923,915
October 19923,815
September 19924,045
August 19924,000
July 19923,830
June 19923,635
May 19923,680
April 19923,670
March 19923,555
February 19923,520
January 19923,340
December 19913,160
November 19912,930
October 19912,880
September 19912,915
August 19912,870
July 19912,710
June 19912,390
May 19912,280
April 19912,175
March 19912,055
February 19911,835
January 19911,670
December 19901,540
November 19901,425
October 19901,335
September 19901,280
August 19901,255
July 19901,175
June 19901,085
May 19901,025
April 19901,085
March 19901,040
February 19901,015
January 1990995
December 1989995
November 1989985
October 19891,000
September 19891,075
August 19891,140
July 19891,120
June 19891,130
May 19891,140
April 19891,225
March 19891,240
February 19891,295
January 19891,290
December 19881,305
November 19881,430
October 19881,480
September 19881,680
August 19881,645
July 19881,630
June 19881,635
May 19881,715
April 19881,795
March 19881,880
February 19882,025
January 19882,050
December 19872,055
November 19872,020
October 19872,080
September 19872,255
August 19872,365
July 19872,300
June 19872,360
May 19872,440
April 19872,475
March 19872,560
February 19872,620
January 19872,720
December 19862,715
November 19862,685
October 19862,760
September 19862,865
August 19862,865
July 19862,785
June 19862,725
May 19862,765
April 19862,755
March 19862,780
February 19862,805
January 19862,825

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 — Watford
3,220 for Watford, 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/watford/claimant-count

See every dataset published for Watford

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