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Jobs & pay · Local · Hampshire’s 13 council areas · August 2026

Your area: who is claiming work-related benefits?

1.8% of residents aged 16–64 in Hart were claiming work-related benefits in August 2026, against 4.5% in Portsmouth and 4.0% across England. The claimant count is its own measure — not the local unemployment rate.

Evidence last reviewed 3 October 2026

What the claimant count measures

The Claimant Count is the number of people claiming Universal Credit (or Jobseeker’s Allowance) who are required to look for work, shown here as a share of residents aged 16–64. It is an administrative count, available every month for every council area. It is not the unemployment rate: some claimants are in low-paid work and asked to look for more, and many unemployed people claim nothing. The UK unemployment rate (4.9%, May to July 2026) comes from a survey and has a different denominator.

Local coverage here is Hampshire only, the site’s local focus: the 11 district councils plus Portsmouth and Southampton. It does not imply comparable coverage for the rest of the UK.

Hampshire’s 13 areas compared

Where in Hampshire are more people claiming work-related benefits?

Portsmouth has the highest claimant rate in Hampshire (4.5%); Hart the lowest (1.8%)

Claimant Count as a percentage of residents aged 16–64, Hampshire’s 13 council areas (including Portsmouth and Southampton), August 2026 (filled dot) and August 2019 (open dot). England: 4.0%.

Hampshire local authorities (13), with England as benchmark · August 2019 and August 2026 (same month, not seasonally adjusted)
August 2026August 2019England 4.0%
  • Portsmouth4.5%
  • Southampton4.2%
  • Gosport3.6%
  • Havant3.3%
  • Rushmoor3.0%
  • Basingstoke and Deane2.7%
  • Eastleigh2.3%
  • New Forest2.3%
  • East Hampshire2.1%
  • Winchester2.1%
  • Fareham2.0%
  • Test Valley2.0%
  • Hart1.8%
Rates are highest in Portsmouth, Southampton, Gosport, Havant and lowest in Fareham, Test Valley, Hart. Every area is above its August 2019 level, partly because Universal Credit counts more claimants. Portsmouth is 0.5 percentage points above England.

Hampshire local authorities (13), with England as benchmark · August 2019 and August 2026 (same month, not seasonally adjusted) · Official statistics; August 2026 is provisional

Sources, definitions and data — Portsmouth has the highest claimant rate in Hampshire (4.5%); Hart the lowest (1.8%)
Geography:
Hampshire local authorities (13), with England as benchmark — Residents aged 16–64
Measure:
Claimants as % of residents aged 16–64
Period:
August 2019 and August 2026 (same month, not seasonally adjusted)
Status:
Official statistics; August 2026 is provisional
Calculation:
As published by Nomis (measure 2). Same calendar month compared because the series is not seasonally adjusted.
Compare with:
England 4.0%; South East 3.1%
Not included / breaks:
NOT an unemployment rate: it counts people claiming Universal Credit (or Jobseeker’s Allowance) who are required to look for work, including some in low-paid work, and misses unemployed people who claim nothing. Universal Credit widened who is counted, so part of the rise since 2019 is administrative.

Source: ONS Claimant Count via Nomis, NM_162_1, claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16–64. Chart WORK-10.

View the data as a table
AreaAugust 2026August 2025August 2019
Portsmouth4.54.52.6
Southampton4.24.03.1
Gosport3.63.52.0
Havant3.33.52.3
Rushmoor3.02.91.3
Basingstoke and Deane2.72.61.6
Eastleigh2.32.11.4
New Forest2.32.31.3
East Hampshire2.12.01.0
Winchester2.12.01.1
Fareham2.02.01.0
Test Valley2.01.91.2
Hart1.81.60.6

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Gaps should be read in percentage points: Portsmouth (4.5%) is 0.5 percentage points above England (4.0%), and 2.7 percentage points above Hart. A year earlier, in August 2025, England’s rate was 4.0%.

How has the claimant rate changed over time?

Portsmouth’s claimant rate is 4.5%, 0.5 percentage points above England’s 4.0%

Claimant Count as a percentage of residents aged 16–64, Portsmouth, England and the South East, monthly, not seasonally adjusted, January 2013 to August 2026.

Portsmouth, South East region, England · January 2013 to August 2026

1996–2026 displayed window · observations only. Shading marks years outside the displayed record.

Claimants as % of residents aged 16–64No observations shown0%2%4%6%8%2000201020204.5%4.0%3.1%
The spike in spring 2020 reflects the pandemic and wider eligibility at the same time. Since then the rate has settled well above its 2013–2019 range everywhere — partly because Universal Credit asks more people, including some in work, to look for work or more hours. In August 2019 Portsmouth was 2.6% against England’s 2.7%; it is now 0.5 percentage points above. A change in the gap is more informative than the level, because the counting changes affect every area.

Portsmouth, South East region, England · January 2013 to August 2026 · Official statistics; August 2026 is provisional

Sources, definitions and data — Portsmouth’s claimant rate is 4.5%, 0.5 percentage points above England’s 4.0%
Geography:
Portsmouth, South East region, England — Residents aged 16–64
Measure:
Claimants as % of residents aged 16–64
Period:
January 2013 to August 2026
Status:
Official statistics; August 2026 is provisional
Calculation:
As published by Nomis (measure 2).
Compare with:
England and the South East
Not included / breaks:
Universal Credit rollout (2013–2018) and the March 2020 eligibility changes widened who is counted; the jump in 2020 is partly administrative. Not seasonally adjusted.

Source: ONS Claimant Count via Nomis, NM_162_1, claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16–64. Chart WORK-11.

View the data as a table
MonthPortsmouth (%)England (%)South East (%)
Jan 20133.73.82.5
Feb 20133.93.82.6
Mar 20133.83.82.5
Apr 20133.73.72.4
May 20133.53.52.3
Jun 20133.33.42.2
Jul 20133.23.32.1
Aug 20133.13.32.0
Sep 20133.03.12.0
Oct 20132.93.01.9
Nov 20132.92.91.8
Dec 20132.82.81.8
Jan 20142.82.91.8
Feb 20142.82.91.8
Mar 20142.62.81.7
Apr 20142.52.71.6
May 20142.42.51.5
Jun 20142.22.41.4
Jul 20142.12.31.4
Aug 20142.12.21.3
Sep 20142.02.11.3
Oct 20142.02.11.2
Nov 20142.02.01.2
Dec 20141.91.91.2
Jan 20152.02.01.2
Feb 20152.02.01.2
Mar 20151.91.91.2
Apr 20151.81.91.1
May 20151.71.81.1
Jun 20151.61.81.0
Jul 20151.61.81.0
Aug 20151.61.81.0
Sep 20151.51.71.0
Oct 20151.51.71.0
Nov 20151.41.71.0
Dec 20151.41.71.0
Jan 20161.51.71.1
Feb 20161.61.81.1
Mar 20161.61.81.1
Apr 20161.51.81.1
May 20161.41.81.1
Jun 20161.41.71.0
Jul 20161.41.71.0
Aug 20161.41.81.0
Sep 20161.41.71.1
Oct 20161.41.71.1
Nov 20161.41.71.1
Dec 20161.41.71.0
Jan 20171.51.81.1
Feb 20171.61.81.1
Mar 20171.61.91.2
Apr 20171.71.91.2
May 20171.71.91.1
Jun 20171.71.81.1
Jul 20171.61.81.1
Aug 20171.51.81.1
Sep 20171.51.81.1
Oct 20171.61.81.1
Nov 20171.61.81.1
Dec 20171.61.81.2
Jan 20181.71.91.2
Feb 20181.82.01.3
Mar 20181.82.01.3
Apr 20181.72.11.4
May 20181.72.11.3
Jun 20181.72.11.3
Jul 20181.72.11.3
Aug 20181.72.11.3
Sep 20181.72.11.4
Oct 20181.72.21.4
Nov 20181.72.21.4
Dec 20181.82.31.5
Jan 20192.02.31.5
Feb 20192.12.51.6
Mar 20192.22.51.7
Apr 20192.32.61.7
May 20192.42.61.7
Jun 20192.52.71.8
Jul 20192.52.71.8
Aug 20192.62.71.8
Sep 20192.72.71.9
Oct 20192.82.81.9
Nov 20192.92.82.0
Dec 20193.02.82.0
Jan 20203.12.92.0
Feb 20203.23.02.1
Mar 20203.23.02.1
Apr 20205.75.03.8
May 20207.46.45.3
Jun 20207.06.25.0
Jul 20207.16.35.1
Aug 20207.36.45.3
Sep 20207.16.45.2
Oct 20206.96.25.0
Nov 20207.16.35.1
Dec 20207.06.25.1
Jan 20217.06.15.0
Feb 20217.46.45.2
Mar 20217.46.45.2
Apr 20217.36.35.1
May 20216.85.94.7
Jun 20216.45.54.3
Jul 20216.25.44.2
Aug 20216.05.24.0
Sep 20215.64.93.8
Oct 20215.44.73.6
Nov 20215.34.53.5
Dec 20215.24.43.4
Jan 20225.14.23.3
Feb 20225.04.23.3
Mar 20224.94.13.2
Apr 20224.73.93.0
May 20224.53.82.9
Jun 20224.43.72.8
Jul 20224.33.72.8
Aug 20224.43.62.8
Sep 20224.33.62.8
Oct 20224.33.62.7
Nov 20224.43.62.8
Dec 20224.43.62.8
Jan 20234.33.62.7
Feb 20234.33.62.8
Mar 20234.43.72.8
Apr 20234.33.72.8
May 20234.23.62.7
Jun 20234.33.62.7
Jul 20234.33.72.7
Aug 20234.33.62.7
Sep 20234.33.62.7
Oct 20234.33.62.8
Nov 20234.33.72.8
Dec 20234.43.72.8
Jan 20244.53.72.8
Feb 20244.63.82.9
Mar 20244.63.82.9
Apr 20244.63.82.9
May 20244.63.82.9
Jun 20244.63.92.9
Jul 20245.04.23.1
Aug 20244.94.23.1
Sep 20244.94.23.1
Oct 20244.84.23.1
Nov 20244.84.13.1
Dec 20244.64.03.0
Jan 20254.64.03.0
Feb 20254.74.23.1
Mar 20254.84.13.1
Apr 20254.74.13.1
May 20254.74.03.1
Jun 20254.64.03.1
Jul 20254.54.03.0
Aug 20254.54.03.0
Sep 20254.53.93.0
Oct 20254.53.93.0
Nov 20254.53.93.0
Dec 20254.53.93.0
Jan 20264.53.93.0
Feb 20264.64.03.1
Mar 20264.64.03.2
Apr 20264.64.03.1
May 20264.54.03.1
Jun 20264.54.03.1
Jul 20264.43.93.1
Aug 20264.54.03.1

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Going further locally

ONS does not publish NEET estimates below UK level, and survey-based local unemployment estimates are modelled with wide margins. For other local measures, compare areas in How does this compare in Hampshire? — noting that it switches measures and denominators. National options are in What would move the needle?

Sources and methods (1)

Method notes

  • Claimant rate = claimants ÷ residents aged 16–64 (Nomis NM_162_1, measure 2). Not seasonally adjusted, so the same month is compared across years; the latest month is provisional.
  • Universal Credit rollout (2013–2018) and March 2020 eligibility changes widened who is counted, so levels before and after are not like-for-like.