12,720 people in Redbridge claimed out-of-work benefits in September, the most for a September since 2021. August's figure has been cut by 265, as July's was.

12,720 people in Redbridge were claiming benefits principally because they were out of work in September 2026. That is 6.0% of residents aged 16 to 64. It is 125 more than a year earlier, a rise of 1.0%, while London’s count fell.

It is also the highest September figure for the borough since 2021.

The numbers come from the ONS labour market overview published on 20 October, read at borough level through the nomis database.

Up on the year while London fell

London’s claimant count fell 0.4% over the year, from 351,780 in September 2025 to 350,280. Sixteen of the 33 boroughs rose and 17 fell or stayed level.

Redbridge had the tenth-biggest rise. The fastest were Greenwich (up 4.0%), Havering (up 3.3%) and Bexley (up 2.6%). Newham, next door, fell 3.8%.

By rate, Redbridge’s 6.0% is the 13th highest of the 33 boroughs, above London’s 5.6%. Newham and Barking and Dagenham are both on 7.5%.

Bar chart of Redbridge's claimant count in September each year: 4,565 in 2019, 15,495 in 2020, 13,045 in 2021, 9,045 in 2022, 10,050 in 2023, 12,355 in 2024, 12,595 in 2025 and 12,720 in 2026
Redbridge's claimant count in September each year since 2019. The 2026 figure is provisional. Chart by Ilford Today.
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The September count has risen every year since 2022:

September Claimants Aged 16 to 24
2021 13,045 1,920
2022 9,045 1,385
2023 10,050 1,485
2024 12,355 1,660
2025 12,595 1,925
2026 12,720 2,035

It is still nearly three times the 4,565 of September 2019, before the pandemic.

Young people and over-50s again

The pattern by age is the same as last month. The youngest and oldest claimants are rising faster than London’s; the middle band is falling.

  • Aged 16 to 24: 2,035, up 5.7% on September 2025 (1,925). London rose 5.0%.
  • Aged 50 and over: 3,325, up 5.4% on September 2025 (3,155). London rose 1.9%.
  • Aged 25 to 49: 7,365, down 2.1% on September 2025 (7,520). London fell 2.8%.

The under-25 count is the highest in any month since August 2021, when it was 2,075 and pandemic support was still winding down.

August has been revised down by 265

Last month we reported Redbridge’s August count as 12,735. Nomis now records it as 12,470, a cut of 265. That is exactly the size of the cut to July’s figure the month before, which went from 12,650 to 12,385.

The ONS bulletin explains why. “The Claimant Count figure for the latest month is provisional and is subject to revisions after first publication,” it says, as “work capability assessments conclude and more information is available about benefit claimants’ ability to work.”

That matters for reading this month’s number:

  • Against the revised August, September is up 250.
  • Against August as first published, September is down 15.
  • London’s August was revised from 347,135 to 340,095, so every London borough now shows a rise from August to September.

The fairer comparison is with last September, which is no longer being revised. That is the 1.0% rise at the top of this story. September 2026 itself may be cut when the October figures come out.

Our August report now carries a correction note, because some of its comparisons do not survive the revision.

What it means for you

  • The claimant count is not the unemployment rate. It counts people on Universal Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance who are required to look for work. Some unemployed people do not claim, and some people in low-paid work are counted.
  • It is a borough figure. It covers everywhere from Wanstead and South Woodford to Hainault and Goodmayes.
  • If you are looking for work, the council’s free Work Redbridge service offers advisers, CV reviews, work clubs and a vacancy bulletin. Its DWP-funded employment support is for Redbridge residents over 18 with the right to work in the UK.
  • The next figures, for October 2026, are due from the ONS on 17 November 2026.

Sources