1,340 under-25s were claiming in September, the most since August 2021. The Cheshire East total rose to 6,060, and August was revised down by 110.

1,340 people aged 16 to 24 in Cheshire East were claiming benefits because they were out of work in September 2026. That is the highest figure for the age group since August 2021, when the furlough scheme was still winding down.

The borough total was 6,060, or 2.4% of residents aged 16 to 64. It is the highest monthly total since August 2024. The Office for National Statistics published the figures on 20 October through nomis.

Under-25s are about a fifth of all claimants in the borough. They account for half of the rise over the year: 280 of the 560 extra claimants since September 2025 are aged 16 to 24.

August was lower than first published

The same release revised August’s figure. When we reported August’s count in September, the borough total was 6,015. It now stands at 5,905, 110 fewer. The under-25 figure for August moved from 1,305 to 1,275.

That kind of revision is expected. The ONS says the Universal Credit element of the count “allows for revisions to the data for one previous month”, which is why the latest month is the one most likely to move. September’s 6,060 may be restated in the same way next month.

On the revised figures, the count rose by 155 between August and September. Of that rise, 65 were under 25.

Bar chart of claimants aged 16 to 24 in Cheshire East each September: 1,295 in 2021, 910 in 2022, 965 in 2023, 1,020 in 2024, 1,060 in 2025 and 1,340 in 2026
Under-25 claimants in Cheshire East each September. Chart by The Macclesfield Times
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Where the rise is

Every age band grew over the year. The youngest grew fastest.

Age Sep 2025 Sep 2026 Change
16 to 24 1,060 1,340 +280 (+26.4%)
25 to 49 3,130 3,255 +125 (+4.0%)
50 and over 1,310 1,465 +155 (+11.8%)
All ages 5,500 6,060 +560 (+10.2%)

Female claimants rose from 2,400 to 2,665 over the year. Male claimants rose from 3,100 to 3,395.

The ONS does not publish a claimant rate for each age group, only for all 16 to 64 year olds. The figures in the table are counts, not shares of each age band. All local claimant figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Cheshire East against its neighbours

At 2.4%, Cheshire East still has the third lowest claimant rate of the 35 council areas in the North West. Only Westmorland and Furness and Ribble Valley are lower, both on 1.8%.

  • North West: 4.2%
  • England: 4.1%
  • United Kingdom: 3.9%
  • Cheshire West and Chester 2.7%, Warrington 2.8%, Stockport 3.0%, Trafford 3.1%

Across the county boundary, High Peak is on 2.5% and Staffordshire Moorlands, which includes Leek, on 2.2%. The highest rates in the region are Oldham on 6.6%, Manchester on 6.1% and Rochdale on 6.0%.

What the number is, and what it is not

The claimant count is not the unemployment rate. The ONS says in its quality and methodology report that it “does not attempt to measure unemployment”. It counts people claiming benefits mainly because they are out of work.

  • It includes some people who are working. Universal Credit claimants on low earnings can still be required to look for more work.
  • It leaves out people who are out of work but not claiming.

The ONS reclassified the series from National Statistics to “Experimental Official Statistics” because coverage has shifted as Universal Credit replaced Jobseeker’s Allowance.

What it means for you

The next release is due on 17 November, with the October count and a revision to September. We will report both.

If you are under 25 and looking for work in the borough, these do not need a Jobcentre appointment:

Local vacancies are on our Macclesfield jobs page. If you claim council tax support, the council is consulting until 10 January on cutting it for working-age households from April 2027.

Sources