Stafford borough's claimant count rose to 2,185 in August, up 150 on a year and the largest increase of any Staffordshire district, led by under-25s and over-50s.
2,185 people in Stafford borough were claiming unemployment-related benefits in August. That is 150 more than in August 2025, a rise of 7.4%.
No other Staffordshire district added as many claimants over the year. Across England, the count rose by 1.8%. The figures come from the Office for National Statistics claimant count, published through Nomis on 15 September.
The claimant count covers people on Jobseeker’s Allowance and people on Universal Credit who are required to look for work. It is not the full unemployment rate. It is the only jobs figure published every month for each borough, and all counts are rounded to the nearest five.
The biggest monthly jump since February
The count went up by 75 between July and August. That is the largest single-month rise in the borough since February, when it climbed by 80.
July’s figure now stands at 2,110 in the revised data. The count had been flat for four months before August, between 2,110 and 2,120.
August’s total is the highest since October 2024, when it was 2,220. The two-year peak was 2,290 in August 2024, so the borough is not at a record.
Young people and the over-50s
The rise is not spread evenly. Almost all of it sits at the two ends of working life.
| Age | August 2025 | August 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 390 | 465 | +75 (19.2%) |
| 25 to 49 | 1,175 | 1,195 | +20 (1.7%) |
| 50 and over | 470 | 525 | +55 (11.7%) |
| All ages | 2,035 | 2,185 | +150 (7.4%) |
Nationally, the under-25 count rose by 9.4% and the over-50s by 3.7%. In England the 25 to 49 group actually fell, by 1.3%. So Stafford’s young and older claimant numbers are rising at roughly two to three times the national pace.
The rise is also mostly among men. Male claimants went from 1,100 to 1,240, up 140. Female claimants went from 935 to 945, up 10.
How Stafford compares
The borough’s rate is 2.6% of residents aged 16 to 64, up from 2.4% a year ago. That is still well below England’s 4.0% and the West Midlands’ 5.3%.
| Area | Claimants, Aug 2026 | Change on year | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford | 2,185 | +150 | 2.6% |
| Lichfield | 1,565 | +110 | 2.4% |
| Cannock Chase | 2,025 | +105 | 3.1% |
| South Staffordshire | 1,760 | +75 | 2.6% |
| Tamworth | 1,635 | +15 | 3.3% |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 2,365 | +5 | 3.0% |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 1,210 | minus 15 | 2.2% |
| East Staffordshire | 2,615 | minus 100 | 3.3% |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 9,055 | minus 385 | 5.4% |
Lichfield’s rise was slightly faster in percentage terms, at 7.6%, but from a smaller base. Stoke-on-Trent and East Staffordshire both fell.
Where in the borough
The ward rates for August show a wide gap inside the borough. The four highest are all Stafford town wards:
- Forebridge, 5.8%
- Penkside, 5.0%
- Highfields and Western Downs, 4.9%
- Doxey and Castletown, 4.8%
The lowest are on the town’s south-eastern edge and in the villages:
- Baswich, 1.3%
- Milwich, 1.4%
- Weeping Cross and Wildwood, 1.4%
- Haywood and Hixon, Milford, and Swynnerton and Oulton, each 1.5%
In Stone, St Michael’s and Stonefield is on 2.1% and Walton on 2.3%. Ward figures are from the same Nomis claimant count release.
What it means for you
Stafford is still one of the easier places in the region to look for work, with roughly one working-age resident in 38 claiming. But the direction has turned again after a flat spring and summer, and the rise is concentrated on under-25s and on people over 50.
If you have lost work or had your hours cut, the main route to support is Universal Credit, claimed online. Low-income households can also apply for Council Tax Reduction, which lowers the bill; our Stafford council tax bands page shows what each band pays.
The September figures are due from the ONS in mid-October.
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