Table 1 shows that compared with May 2026, the Norwich city council area saw a small increase in claimant unemployment. This contrasts with Norfolk and the Norwich Urban Area, where unemployment rates remained unchanged, although it mirrors the increase seen across the East of England. Looking at the annual picture, labour market conditions in Norwich city council area have deteriorated more significantly, with the claimant unemployment rate increasing from 3.9% in June 2025 to 4.2% in June 2026. This was a larger increase than in Norfolk and the Norwich Urban Area and the East of England, while Great Britain's rate remained unchanged. As a result, the city council area continues to have the highest claimant unemployment rate among the comparator areas, indicating greater labour market pressures locally than across the wider county, region and nationally.
The claimant count unemployment rate remained stable month on month across all reported areas, with a slight increase observed at the national level. Compared with the same period a year earlier, claimant count rates have risen across all reported areas.
Table 2 Claimant count unemployment
June 2025 May 2026 June 2026 Monthly change Annual change
Number % Number % Number %
Bowthorpe 285 4.5 285 4.0 300 4.2 0 -0.7%
Catton Grove 320 4.5 350 4.8 360 4.9 +0.2% +0.4%
Crome 350 5.0 370 4.9 385 5.2 +0.3% +0.5%
Eaton 110 2.0 120 2.1 125 2.2 0 +0.1%
Lakenham 300 5.0 370 5.4 360 5.2 +0.1% -0.1%
Mancroft 450 6.2 450 5.0 450 5.0 +0.1% -0.6%
Mile Cross 440 6.1 480 6.2 485 6.3 -0.2% +0.3%
Nelson 210 2.7 210 2.8 200 2.6 -0.1% 0
Sewell 280 3.9 260 3.4 260 3.4 +0.3% -0.3%
Thorpe Hamlet 290 4.1 340 4.4 320 4.2 +0.2% +0.1%
Town Close 245 3.4 245 3.4 270 3.7 -0.2% +0.1%
University 265 2.0 300 2.6 300 2.6 +0.1% +0.6%
Wensum 460 5.6 435 4.9 430 4.8 +0.1% -0.7%