1,950 East Herts residents claimed out-of-work benefits in September, up just 1.6% in a year. August's jump has been revised down, and Broxbourne fell.
1,950 people in East Hertfordshire were claiming unemployment-related benefits in September. That is 30 more than a year earlier, a rise of 1.6%.
It is a much smaller rise than the one we reported a month ago. The figures for August have since been revised down, and the steep climb they showed has largely gone.
The district is now rising more slowly than Hertfordshire as a whole, up 3.0%, and England, up 2.6%. East Herts still has the lowest claimant rate of the county’s ten districts, at 2.0% of residents aged 16 to 64.
The figures are from the Office for National Statistics claimant count, published through Nomis on 20 October 2026. The count covers people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Universal Credit claimants who are required to look for work. Counts are rounded to the nearest five.
August was revised down
When the August figures came out in September, East Herts had 1,965 claimants, up 7.4% in a year. That was the fastest rise of Hertfordshire’s ten districts, and we reported it that way.
The ONS revises each month’s count when the next one is published. August is now 1,910, not 1,965. Against August 2025 that is a rise of 80, or 4.4%. On the revised figures, Stevenage rose slightly faster than East Herts in August.
The revised count for people aged 50 and over in August is 535, against 540 in the first release.
Who is claiming
East Hertfordshire, September 2026 against September 2025:
| Age | Sept 2025 | Sept 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 270 | 290 | +20 |
| 25 to 49 | 1,135 | 1,135 | none |
| 50 and over | 515 | 525 | +10 |
| All | 1,920 | 1,950 | +30 |
The over-50s figure, which drove last month’s story, is up 1.9% on the year.
Young people are where the rise is now, and not only here. Claimants aged 16 to 24 rose 7.4% in East Herts, 11.2% across Hertfordshire and 10.3% across England.
Broxbourne fell
Broxbourne had 2,130 claimants in September, 20 fewer than a year earlier, a fall of 0.9%. It was the only district in Hertfordshire where the count went down.
The borough’s rate is higher than East Herts’, at 3.3%. Its over-50s count fell from 510 to 470. Its 16 to 24 count rose from 375 to 425.
Across Hertfordshire
Change in the claimant count, September 2025 to September 2026:
| Area | Sept 2026 | Change | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welwyn Hatfield | 2,570 | +6.0% | 3.2% |
| North Hertfordshire | 2,015 | +5.5% | 2.4% |
| Watford | 3,285 | +4.8% | 4.6% |
| Hertsmere | 2,450 | +3.2% | 3.6% |
| St Albans | 2,235 | +3.2% | 2.4% |
| Three Rivers | 1,625 | +3.2% | 2.7% |
| Dacorum | 3,235 | +1.7% | 3.2% |
| Stevenage | 2,045 | +1.7% | 3.5% |
| East Hertfordshire | 1,950 | +1.6% | 2.0% |
| Broxbourne | 2,130 | -0.9% | 3.3% |
| Hertfordshire | 23,535 | +3.0% | 3.0% |
| England | 1,493,875 | +2.6% | 4.1% |
What it means for you
- Looking for work in East Herts? The count is barely higher than a year ago, and the district has the lowest rate in Hertfordshire.
- Aged 16 to 24? This is the group rising fastest, locally and nationally. The National Careers Service offers free advice by phone and online.
- Reading monthly figures? Treat the newest month as provisional. August moved by 55 claimants in a single revision.
The October figures are due from the ONS in November.
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