People claiming unemployment-related benefits: record highs and lows

The extremes of people claiming unemployment-related benefits as published by ONS, across the 367 periods held here (January 1996 to July 2026). Each record is a published figure, not a computed one, and the scope is this series — not “ever”.

Highest published

2,688,110August 2020

Lowest published

733,800December 2015

The full series

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestDashed line: change in coverage or methodShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover, tap or use arrow keys to read a value; tap again to unpin

The chart as a table

Period	People claiming unemployment-related benefits
January 1996	2,310,485 people
February 1996	2,302,965 people
March 1996	2,230,800 people
April 1996	2,223,920 people
May 1996	2,147,365 people
June 1996	2,096,325 people
July 1996	2,158,075 people
August 1996	2,176,450 people
September 1996	2,103,720 people
October 1996	1,977,235 people
November 1996	1,871,400 people
December 1996	1,868,205 people
January 1997	1,907,755 people
February 1997	1,827,785 people
March 1997	1,745,280 people
April 1997	1,687,960 people
May 1997	1,620,495 people
June 1997	1,550,140 people
July 1997	1,585,270 people
August 1997	1,579,210 people
September 1997	1,513,535 people
October 1997	1,432,835 people
November 1997	1,387,650 people
December 1997	1,391,380 people
January 1998	1,479,265 people
February 1998	1,451,245 people
March 1998	1,405,905 people
April 1998	1,389,915 people
May 1998	1,349,375 people
June 1998	1,322,755 people
July 1998	1,368,295 people
August 1998	1,383,195 people
September 1998	1,334,275 people
October 1998	1,286,430 people
November 1998	1,283,870 people
December 1998	1,293,560 people
January 1999	1,386,410 people
February 1999	1,379,125 people
March 1999	1,346,565 people
April 1999	1,320,135 people
May 1999	1,275,610 people
June 1999	1,244,710 people
July 1999	1,263,615 people
August 1999	1,263,200 people
September 1999	1,223,955 people
October 1999	1,164,940 people
November 1999	1,147,170 people
December 1999	1,140,585 people
January 2000	1,236,380 people
February 2000	1,227,000 people
March 2000	1,194,300 people
April 2000	1,142,080 people
May 2000	1,108,180 people
June 2000	1,077,230 people
July 2000	1,088,815 people
August 2000	1,089,060 people
September 2000	1,042,805 people
October 2000	1,009,230 people
November 2000	1,000,580 people
December 2000	1,011,430 people
January 2001	1,077,770 people
February 2001	1,073,350 people
March 2001	1,041,150 people
April 2001	1,006,415 people
May 2001	980,900 people
June 2001	947,930 people
July 2001	961,820 people
August 2001	973,185 people
September 2001	940,375 people
October 2001	918,440 people
November 2001	926,185 people
December 2001	948,460 people
January 2002	1,021,465 people
February 2002	1,024,050 people
March 2002	998,180 people
April 2002	982,735 people
May 2002	954,450 people
June 2002	937,035 people
July 2002	956,375 people
August 2002	962,715 people
September 2002	936,215 people
October 2002	907,220 people
November 2002	905,570 people
December 2002	919,090 people
January 2003	998,035 people
February 2003	1,012,830 people
March 2003	992,290 people
April 2003	966,095 people
May 2003	957,785 people
June 2003	939,160 people
July 2003	946,315 people
August 2003	948,555 people
September 2003	922,135 people
October 2003	893,175 people
November 2003	884,645 people
December 2003	889,715 people
January 2004	952,430 people
February 2004	957,005 people
March 2004	932,030 people
April 2004	905,225 people
May 2004	869,655 people
June 2004	840,460 people
July 2004	841,490 people
August 2004	847,600 people
September 2004	827,835 people
October 2004	806,790 people
November 2004	803,030 people
December 2004	810,195 people
January 2005	872,070 people
February 2005	884,995 people
March 2005	882,300 people
April 2005	871,780 people
May 2005	867,565 people
June 2005	858,170 people
July 2005	870,980 people
August 2005	880,725 people
September 2005	871,530 people
October 2005	864,825 people
November 2005	875,335 people
December 2005	892,710 people
January 2006	955,335 people
February 2006	984,665 people
March 2006	989,135 people
April 2006	981,200 people
May 2006	965,745 people
June 2006	952,890 people
July 2006	960,840 people
August 2006	958,880 people
September 2006	952,910 people
October 2006	933,660 people
November 2006	922,070 people
December 2006	923,460 people
January 2007	965,095 people
February 2007	974,865 people
March 2007	956,020 people
April 2007	918,510 people
May 2007	889,130 people
June 2007	855,630 people
July 2007	854,150 people
August 2007	857,135 people
September 2007	827,890 people
October 2007	800,960 people
November 2007	785,760 people
December 2007	790,370 people
January 2008	830,540 people
February 2008	848,940 people
March 2008	842,825 people
April 2008	835,185 people
May 2008	831,850 people
June 2008	835,315 people
July 2008	871,290 people
August 2008	923,875 people
September 2008	944,715 people
October 2008	970,280 people
November 2008	1,056,145 people
December 2008	1,153,330 people
January 2009	1,282,645 people
February 2009	1,459,840 people
March 2009	1,523,480 people
April 2009	1,557,615 people
May 2009	1,564,980 people
June 2009	1,553,255 people
July 2009	1,573,140 people
August 2009	1,602,190 people
September 2009	1,591,110 people
October 2009	1,582,555 people
November 2009	1,569,445 people
December 2009	1,567,005 people
January 2010	1,654,025 people
February 2010	1,657,040 people
March 2010	1,614,850 people
April 2010	1,568,130 people
May 2010	1,502,155 people
June 2010	1,444,095 people
July 2010	1,441,035 people
August 2010	1,456,025 people
September 2010	1,439,600 people
October 2010	1,416,785 people
November 2010	1,413,265 people
December 2010	1,425,190 people
January 2011	1,505,070 people
February 2011	1,538,185 people
March 2011	1,526,945 people
April 2011	1,520,805 people
May 2011	1,504,915 people
June 2011	1,493,075 people
July 2011	1,541,795 people
August 2011	1,576,835 people
September 2011	1,578,610 people
October 2011	1,562,500 people
November 2011	1,558,755 people
December 2011	1,568,850 people
January 2012	1,649,190 people
February 2012	1,685,990 people
March 2012	1,666,860 people
April 2012	1,616,850 people
May 2012	1,590,710 people
June 2012	1,564,155 people
July 2012	1,572,670 people
August 2012	1,569,925 people
September 2012	1,552,985 people
October 2012	1,547,425 people
November 2012	1,534,985 people
December 2012	1,523,220 people
January 2013	1,581,840 people
February 2013	1,613,790 people
March 2013	1,584,470 people
April 2013	1,538,575 people
May 2013	1,495,780 people
June 2013	1,439,910 people
July 2013	1,418,935 people
August 2013	1,390,400 people
September 2013	1,326,110 people
October 2013	1,270,600 people
November 2013	1,225,105 people
December 2013	1,203,875 people
January 2014	1,245,615 people
February 2014	1,247,095 people
March 2014	1,200,145 people
April 2014	1,146,415 people
May 2014	1,094,135 people
June 2014	1,024,755 people
July 2014	1,000,755 people
August 2014	968,545 people
September 2014	932,365 people
October 2014	898,865 people
November 2014	861,595 people
December 2014	839,200 people
January 2015	871,340 people
February 2015	883,895 people
March 2015	855,800 people
April 2015	833,025 people
May 2015	806,585 people
June 2015	783,565 people
July 2015	784,960 people
August 2015	783,665 people
September 2015	768,325 people
October 2015	756,505 people
November 2015	737,865 people
December 2015	733,800 people
January 2016	772,090 people
February 2016	799,970 people
March 2016	804,430 people
April 2016	792,760 people
May 2016	780,220 people
June 2016	767,345 people
July 2016	766,105 people
August 2016	773,460 people
September 2016	767,200 people
October 2016	763,300 people
November 2016	755,500 people
December 2016	747,420 people
January 2017	768,870 people
February 2017	798,135 people
March 2017	815,715 people
April 2017	819,985 people
May 2017	809,855 people
June 2017	799,145 people
July 2017	794,850 people
August 2017	797,460 people
September 2017	790,595 people
October 2017	786,365 people
November 2017	783,680 people
December 2017	793,430 people
January 2018	821,310 people
February 2018	865,350 people
March 2018	883,865 people
April 2018	916,745 people
May 2018	896,425 people
June 2018	889,860 people
July 2018	892,935 people
August 2018	906,795 people
September 2018	917,560 people
October 2018	931,140 people
November 2018	945,630 people
December 2018	967,220 people
January 2019	1,003,670 people
February 2019	1,062,430 people
March 2019	1,091,805 people
April 2019	1,106,610 people
May 2019	1,112,855 people
June 2019	1,135,440 people
July 2019	1,145,690 people
August 2019	1,163,945 people
September 2019	1,164,740 people
October 2019	1,183,895 people
November 2019	1,196,765 people
December 2019	1,202,795 people
January 2020	1,215,555 people
February 2020	1,255,770 people
March 2020	1,268,620 people
April 2020	2,113,560 people
May 2020	2,661,340 people
June 2020	2,590,175 people
July 2020	2,642,815 people
August 2020	2,688,110 people
September 2020	2,656,115 people
October 2020	2,565,320 people
November 2020	2,604,825 people
December 2020	2,589,740 people
January 2021	2,558,550 people
February 2021	2,678,280 people
March 2021	2,675,305 people
April 2021	2,629,480 people
May 2021	2,462,865 people
June 2021	2,285,995 people
July 2021	2,232,760 people
August 2021	2,144,330 people
September 2021	2,032,690 people
October 2021	1,957,735 people
November 2021	1,881,715 people
December 2021	1,815,325 people
January 2022	1,777,485 people
February 2022	1,776,875 people
March 2022	1,717,660 people
April 2022	1,632,180 people
May 2022	1,582,215 people
June 2022	1,548,500 people
July 2022	1,523,345 people
August 2022	1,520,035 people
September 2022	1,509,885 people
October 2022	1,489,340 people
November 2022	1,504,010 people
December 2022	1,515,210 people
January 2023	1,502,820 people
February 2023	1,526,525 people
March 2023	1,557,915 people
April 2023	1,584,450 people
May 2023	1,529,090 people
June 2023	1,536,465 people
July 2023	1,545,730 people
August 2023	1,529,745 people
September 2023	1,523,970 people
October 2023	1,524,915 people
November 2023	1,535,890 people
December 2023	1,543,460 people
January 2024	1,551,970 people
February 2024	1,595,355 people
March 2024	1,608,340 people
April 2024	1,594,025 people
May 2024	1,605,290 people
June 2024	1,640,155 people
July 2024	1,777,620 people
August 2024	1,772,555 people
September 2024	1,769,680 people
October 2024	1,754,330 people
November 2024	1,726,340 people
December 2024	1,700,385 people
January 2025	1,697,365 people
February 2025	1,750,620 people
March 2025	1,742,415 people
April 2025	1,708,420 people
May 2025	1,691,215 people
June 2025	1,697,420 people
July 2025	1,668,595 people
August 2025	1,663,580 people
September 2025	1,657,110 people
October 2025	1,650,220 people
November 2025	1,636,235 people
December 2025	1,625,690 people
January 2026	1,635,860 people
February 2026	1,686,585 people
March 2026	1,693,865 people
April 2026	1,678,250 people
May 2026	1,677,865 people
June 2026	1,672,265 people
July 2026	1,690,970 people

Local records

Among the 361 local authorities with a published figure, the highest ever published is 94,115 (Birmingham, September 1986) and the lowest is 0 (Isles of Scilly, August 2005). Searched across 487 periods. All local records.

What a record here is, and is not

A record is the extreme of the periods this site holds for the current series, at each period’s newest published release. Earlier series measured under different methods are not compared against it. Money is in cash terms: a record set years ago stands against the money of its own year.