Figure 4 Claimant count unemployment 2021 to 2026
Norwich Local Authority (LA) has consistently recorded a higher claimant count unemployment rate than the other areas throughout the period. Although unemployment fell sharply from a peak of around 5.6% in June 2021 to a low of 3.4% in late 2022, the rate subsequently increased and stabilised at around 4.2% by June 2026. This remains above the national average (3.9%), Norfolk (3.6%), the East of England (3.3%) and particularly the wider Norwich Urban Area (3.1%).
While all areas followed a similar post-pandemic trend of decline followed by a modest increase from 2023 onwards, Norwich LA has maintained the highest claimant rate and the largest gap with neighbouring areas, indicating that unemployment-related benefit claims remain more concentrated within the city authority than across the wider local, regional and national geographies.
Table 1 Claimant count unemployment rate
June 2025 May 2026 June 2026 Monthly change Annual change
Number % Number % Number %
Gt. Britain 1,660,585 3.9 1,644,615 3.9 1,663,755 3.9 0 0
Norfolk 15,995 2.9 16,925 3.1 17,040 3.1 0 + 0.2%
Norwich Urban Area 5,150 3.4 4,910 3.6 4,955 3.6 0 + 0.2%
Norwich City Council Area 4,000 3.9 4,215 4.1 4,240 4.2 + 0.1% + 0.3%
East of England 130,670 3.2 130,260 3.2 131,980 3.3 + 0.1% + 0.1%