September's count is 2,960, or 4.8%, and August was cut by 40 to 2,930. Under-25s are up 50 on the year, while Eastbourne's rise is the slowest in East Sussex.
2,960 people in Eastbourne were claiming unemployment-related benefits in September. That is 4.8 per cent of the borough’s residents aged 16 to 64. It is 30 more than in August and 105 more than in September last year, a rise of 3.7 per cent.
The Office for National Statistics published the figures this week, through Nomis. (ONS claimant count, via Nomis)
It is the highest September count of the past three years:
- September 2024: 2,780
- September 2025: 2,855
- September 2026: 2,960
August has been cut by 40
When we reported August’s figure last month it was 2,970. The ONS has now revised it to 2,930. That is the third month in a row the first figure has come down, and the largest revision so far:
| Month | First published | Now | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 2,985 | 2,970 | -15 |
| July 2026 | 2,985 | 2,955 | -30 |
| August 2026 | 2,970 | 2,930 | -40 |
So September’s 2,960 is a rise on the revised August, not a fall from last month’s headline. On the past record, it may well be revised down too. The peak of the past two years is still 2,995, reached in February and March 2026.
The rise is at both ends of working life
Almost all of the year’s increase is among the youngest and oldest claimants:
| Age | September 2025 | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 550 | 600 | +50 |
| 25 to 49 | 1,560 | 1,560 | no change |
| 50 and over | 750 | 795 | +45 |
The under-25 count is up 9.1 per cent in a year. The 25 to 49 group has not moved.
By sex, men make up most of the rise:
- Men: 1,760, up 75 from 1,685
- Women: 1,200, up 25 from 1,175
Women aged 25 to 49 are again the only group with fewer claimants than a year ago, down from 660 to 645. Young women show the sharpest rise, from 205 to 235. (Nomis, claimant count by age and sex, September 2026)
The slowest rise in East Sussex
Eastbourne still has the most claimants of any district in the county. Its count is now growing more slowly than any of its neighbours.
| District | September 2026 | Rate | Change on September 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastbourne | 2,960 | 4.8% | +105 (+3.7%) |
| Hastings | 2,785 | 5.0% | +205 (+7.9%) |
| Wealden | 2,320 | 2.5% | +205 (+9.7%) |
| Lewes | 2,065 | 3.6% | +95 (+4.8%) |
| Rother | 1,640 | 3.2% | +95 (+6.1%) |
For the wider areas:
- East Sussex: 11,765, a rate of 3.7 per cent, up 695 or 6.3 per cent in a year
- South East: 186,430, a rate of 3.1 per cent, up 4.0 per cent
- Great Britain: 1,668,680, a rate of 3.9 per cent, up 3.0 per cent
Eastbourne’s rate remains above all three. Hastings, about 15 miles east, has the highest rate in the county at 5.0 per cent. (Nomis, claimant count by local authority, September 2026)
Devonshire ward holds almost a third
Devonshire, which covers the town centre, has 915 of the borough’s claimants. Its rate of 8.6 per cent is about four times Ratton’s 2.1 per cent.
| Ward | Claimants | Rate | Change on August |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devonshire | 915 | 8.6% | +10 |
| Hampden Park | 330 | 4.9% | +10 |
| Meads | 320 | 5.2% | no change |
| Langney | 315 | 5.0% | +10 |
| Upperton | 310 | 4.6% | no change |
| St Anthony’s | 265 | 3.9% | -5 |
| Sovereign | 205 | 3.3% | +10 |
| Old Town | 200 | 3.0% | no change |
| Ratton | 105 | 2.1% | no change |
Ward figures are rounded to the nearest five, so they add up to 2,965 rather than the borough’s 2,960. The monthly changes are against August’s revised ward figures. (Nomis, claimant count by ward, September 2026)
What the claimant count measures
The ONS says the claimant count “does not attempt to measure unemployment”. It counts people claiming benefits mainly because they are unemployed, using the benefits system’s own records. (ONS quality and methodology information)
That means Jobseeker’s Allowance plus Universal Credit claimants who must look for work. Some of them are in work on low earnings. It is still the only jobs measure published every month down to ward level.
What it means for you
If you have lost work or had your hours cut:
- Universal Credit is the main route into support and is claimed online
- New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance depends on your National Insurance record and can be claimed alongside Universal Credit
- Council Tax Reduction cuts the bill itself; our Eastbourne council tax bands page has this year’s charges
If you are under 25, the rise in your age group is the steepest in the borough. The National Careers Service offers free advice by phone and online. Our business directory lists local firms across the borough by trade.
The October figures are due from the ONS in November, and we will report them then.
Sources
- Claimant count, Nomis, ONS, September 2026 release: borough, ward, age and sex, East Sussex districts, South East and Great Britain figures, and the revised monthly series from September 2024. Pulled 24 October 2026.
- Claimant count QMI, ONS: what the measure does and does not count.
- First-published June, July and August figures: our own reports of July and August, checked against the earlier releases.
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