The Claimant Count

The Claimant Count is the most reliable data that we use in MtW.  While figures are published monthly by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) it is still only an estimate, but one which is directly sourced from the DWP / Jobcentre Plus admin system.  It covers the whole of the UK.

The Claimant Count measures the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits, usually Job Seekers Allowance, Universal Credit (UC) and National Insurance Credits. 

The Claimant Count is NOT just about unemployment, but there is a large overlap.  It does not meet the internationally agreed definition of unemployment specified by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), but does include people on UC who are in work but with very low earnings.  Additionally, the Claimant Count can include some people who are NEET and economically inactive.

November 2022 figures 

Unemployment

The ONS figure for claimant unemployed is 1,536,000. The claimant unemployment rate is 3.6%.

Employment by nationality (for Jul-Sep 22 next data 14 Feb)

87.9% of those employed in the UK are UK nationals. The employment rate for UK nationals is 75.6%. For non-UK nationals, the employment rate is 75.2%.  However, the rate for EU nationals is significantly higher at 80.9%.

53% of employment growth since 2010 has been among UK nationals.

Young people (aged 16-24)

5.954 million young people are in full-time education (FTE) or work – up 37,000 (0.6%) on the year and up 24,000 (0.4%) on 2010.

886,000 young people are out of work (i.e., unemployed, or inactive) and not in FTE. This equates to 13.0% of all young people.

The unemployment rate (the proportion of the economically active population who are unemployed) for 16–24-year-olds is 9.8%. This is down from 10.4% in the previous quarter and down from 11.7% from the year before.

Young people (aged 16-29)

Age East   East Midlands London North East North West Northern Ireland Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire and Humber Totals      
Aged 16-17 210 185 155 155 390 55 620 285 200 245 275 380 3,155
Aged 18-24 18,325   17,235 39,995 13,245  34,580   6,190 18,290 25,880  13,565  12,020  31,190 25,570 256,085
Aged 25-29 13,610   11,935 36,685 8,650   24,760   4,565 13,815 19,500 10,240 8,050   22,050 17,510 191,370
Totals 32,145   29,355     76,835   22,050   59,730   10,810 32,725 45,665   24,005   20,315   53,515 43,460  450,610  

Currently over 450,610 16–29-year-olds are unemployed.

Vacancies

Vacancies (for Aug-Oct ‘22) are at 1.225 million– down 46,000 (-3.6%) on the quarter and up 429,000 (53.9%) on Feb 20 (since Covid-19).

A single month’s estimate of vacancies (for Oct ‘22) was at 1.28 million vacancies – down 10,000 (-0.8%) on the quarter and up 522,000 (69%) on March ’20 (since Covid-19).

Economic inactivity (all ages).

Economic inactivity is at 8.999 million (21.6%). Excluding students, inactivity is at 6.591 million. 

Reason for inactivity  Current (000s)  Change on quarter  Change on Dec-Feb ’20  Change on 2010 election 
Student  2,408 +71   +278  +91  
Looking after family/home  1,720  +7   -120  -649
Temp sick  161  -46  -16  -19
Long-term sick  2,519  +133  +407  +291 
Discouraged workers  18  Unchanged  -17   -62 
Retired  1,157  -39  +35  -371 
Other  1,016  -18  +62  +217 
Total  8,999  +108  +629 -501