West Oxfordshire claimants: under-25s up 24% to 260

260 people aged 16 to 24 in West Oxfordshire were claiming unemployment-related benefits in August. That is 50 more than in August 2025, a rise of 23.8 per cent. It is the highest monthly figure for that age group since November 2021.

The numbers come from the claimant count, compiled by the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Work and Pensions. The August figures were published on 15 September.

Across all ages, 1,360 people in the district were claiming. That is 95 more than a year earlier, up 7.5 per cent, and 1.9 per cent of residents aged 16 to 64.

The rise is concentrated at both ends of working life

Almost none of the year’s increase came from people aged 25 to 49.

Change over the year to August 2026:

The split by sex has shifted too. Women claiming rose from 630 to 695, and men from 635 to 670. A year ago the two were level.

The chart puts the number in proportion. August 2026 is well below the pandemic peak of 565 in 2020. It is still more than double the 125 recorded in August 2018 and August 2019.

West Oxfordshire accounts for all of the county’s young rise

Oxfordshire as a whole had 1,685 claimants aged 16 to 24 in August, up only 30 on the year. West Oxfordshire’s increase of 50 is larger than that on its own, because two districts fell.

• West Oxfordshire: 210 to 260, up 23.8%
• Cherwell: 370 to 380, up 2.7%
• Vale of White Horse: 305 to 300, down 1.6%
• South Oxfordshire: 255 to 250, down 2.0%
• Oxford: 520 to 490, down 5.8%

Nationally, under-25 claims rose 10.0 per cent, from 312,115 to 343,395. Across the South East they rose 11.7 per cent, from 32,150 to 35,925. West Oxfordshire’s rise was more than twice the UK rate.

Of the 64 local authorities in the South East, West Oxfordshire had the ninth steepest increase. Waverley was top, up 41.0 per cent. Tonbridge and Malling was second on 35.6 per cent, and Surrey Heath third on 31.7 per cent.

West Oxfordshire also had the steepest rise in the county for all ages. Oxford went up 3.7 per cent, Vale of White Horse 2.2 per cent, South Oxfordshire was flat and Cherwell fell 1.2 per cent.

Still one of the lowest rates in the region

The overall picture has not changed much. West Oxfordshire’s rate of 1.9 per cent compares with:

• 2.2 per cent across Oxfordshire
• 3.1 per cent across the South East
• 3.9 per cent across the UK

Only two of the 64 South East authorities are lower: Hart and South Oxfordshire, both on 1.8 per cent. Mole Valley shares West Oxfordshire’s 1.9 per cent.

Ward figures for August have not yet been published on Nomis. We will add them when they appear.

July’s figures were revised down

Last month we reported 250 under-25 claimants in July and 1,350 across all ages. In this release the ONS revised those to 240 and 1,310. So the month-on-month rise from July to August is 20 young people and 50 overall.

Revisions like this are routine for the local claimant count. They are a good reason not to read much into a single month.

What the claimant count actually measures

It is not the unemployment rate. The ONS quality and methodology note says the count “does not attempt to measure unemployment, which is a concept defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO)”. It covers people on Jobseeker’s Allowance and people on Universal Credit who are required to look for work. The ONS also notes that “some part-time workers, with very low earnings, may be eligible while seeking full-time work.”

Every figure is rounded to the nearest five. A change of 50 on a base of 210 is real. A change of five or ten is not.

What it means for you

• If you are 16 to 24 and looking for work in the Witney area, more people are in the same position than at any point in almost five years. The government lists local support on its Jobcentre Plus contact page, and Oxfordshire vacancies are on Find a job.
• If you are over 50 and out of work, your age group added 40 claimants this year, almost as many as the under-25s. Jobcentres offer specific support for older jobseekers through the same contact route.
• If you employ people locally, the pool of young applicants is bigger than last year while the core 25 to 49 group has barely moved.
• If you want free advice on benefits or debt, Citizens Advice has a drop-in in Witney. Its funding from the district council was decided at the Executive on 9 September.

The next release, covering September, is due in October. For the other monthly figure on the district’s economy, see our report on West Oxfordshire house prices in July.

Sources

• Claimant count by sex and age, NM_162_1, ONS and DWP via Nomis, August 2026 release (updated 15 September 2026), for West Oxfordshire, the five Oxfordshire districts, Oxfordshire, the 64 South East authorities, the South East and the UK
• Claimant Count quality and methodology information, Office for National Statistics