17,140 people in Croydon claimed unemployment benefits in September, 6.4% of working-age residents. The count rose in all 33 London boroughs.
17,140 people in Croydon were claiming unemployment-related benefits in September 2026. That is 6.4% of residents aged 16 to 64. The ONS figures were published through nomis on 22 October.
The count rose by 610 on August. It is the highest Croydon total since July 2025, and the biggest one-month rise since February 2025.
It was not a Croydon problem alone. The count rose in every one of London’s 33 boroughs in September. London as a whole went up by 10,185 to 350,280, and the UK by 35,810 to 1,702,905.
Over a full year the change is small. September 2025 stood at 17,065, so Croydon is just 75 claimants higher than twelve months ago.
August’s rise has been revised away
Last month we reported that Croydon’s count jumped by 310 to 16,880 in August. This release revises August down to 16,530, which is 350 lower.
On the revised figures, August was not a rise at all. It was a fall of 40 on July.
This is the second month running that the first estimate has been revised down by several hundred. July was first published as 16,835 and later restated as 16,570. The ONS says the Universal Credit part of the count can be revised for one previous month. So September’s 17,140 is also likely to move when the October figures come out.
All three age groups rose
| Age band | September 2026 | Change on August | Change on a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 2,975 | +110 | +180 |
| 25 to 49 | 9,920 | +340 | -275 |
| 50 and over | 4,240 | +155 | +165 |
Two points stand out:
- 2,975 under-25s is the highest Croydon count since September 2021, when it stood at 3,150.
- 4,240 claimants aged 50 and over is the highest since July 2025.
The 25 to 49 band, more than half the total, is still 275 below last September. The rise over the year is all among the youngest and the oldest.
By sex, 8,980 men and 8,160 women were claiming. Women accounted for 370 of the month’s 610 rise.
Eleventh highest rate in London
Croydon’s 6.4% is the eleventh highest rate of London’s 33 boroughs. Barking and Dagenham and Newham are highest, both on 7.5%. Ealing sits just above Croydon on 6.5%, and Lambeth just below on 6.2%.
By headcount Croydon is fifth in London, behind Newham (20,210), Brent (17,550), Tower Hamlets (17,455) and Ealing (17,165). Croydon has one of the largest working-age populations in London, which is why it ranks higher on numbers than on rate.
London’s rate was 5.6% and the UK’s 3.9%.
Neighbouring boroughs are much lower: Bromley and Sutton are both on 3.5%.
What it means for you
The claimant count includes people on Universal Credit who are out of work or on low earnings and required to look for work, as well as Jobseeker’s Allowance. It is not a pure unemployment measure, and a rise can reflect changes in who is asked to look for work as well as job losses.
- If you are looking for work, the borough’s Croydon Works service offers free job brokering and training for residents.
- If you have just lost a job, check what you can claim on the government’s benefits calculators before you apply for Universal Credit.
- If you are on a low income and struggling with bills, the council’s new Crisis and Resilience Fund is one place to start.
The October figures are due from the ONS in mid November.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics, Claimant count by sex and age (NM_162_1), via nomis, released 22 October 2026 (Croydon counts and rates, age and sex breakdowns, the 33-borough comparison, London and UK totals, and the revised July and August figures)
- Office for National Statistics, Claimant Count QMI (how and why recent months are revised)
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