Jobseeker’s allowance by age, year, measure and duration (not seasonally adjusted)

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Next update expected:January 2027

Updates

22nd January 2026

Annual update

20th January 2026
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Official statistics in development
Data provider
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Data source
Jobcentre Plus administrative system
Time period covered
January 1996 to December 2025

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

These data are counts of all claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance.

From 2013 a new benefit, Universal Credit began to be rolled out which replaced a number of means-tested benefits, including the means-tested element of Jobseeker's Allowance. From the introduction of Universal Credit, those claimants who were receiving the benefit for unemployment reasons have been included in the Claimant Count here.

Data collection or calculation

The data are annual averages and are not adjusted to take account of past discontinuities in the data. Rates given in this dataset are expressed as percentages of the resident population aged 16-64.

Statistical quality

From May 2013 onwards these figures are designated as official statistics in development. Official statistics in development are official statistics that are in the testing phase and not yet fully developed, these will potentially have a wider degree of uncertainty.

These data are counts of all claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance. As such it is not subject to sampling variability and can therefore be disaggregated to very high levels of detail. However, it excludes those who are unemployed who are not eligible to claim (for example those out of work but whose partner works), and those who do not wish to claim.

This differs to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) unemployment measure, which is a count of those who are out of work and want a job, have actively sought work in the last 4 weeks and are available to start work in the next two weeks; plus those who are out of work, have found a job and are waiting to start in the next 2 weeks, is a more encompassing measure of unemployment.

Rounding applied

All claimant count levels in this dataset have been independently rounded to the nearest 5. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal place.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
labourmarket.stats@gov.wales