9,265 Islington residents claimed out-of-work benefits in September, up 250 in a month but 420 down on a year ago. Hillrise and Finsbury Park rates are highest.
9,265 Islington residents were claiming out-of-work benefits in September. That is 250 more than in August, the biggest one-month rise in the borough since February 2025. The September figure is provisional: the ONS revises each month’s count a month later, and revisions of 1 or 2% are common.
The longer view is better. The count is still 420 lower than in September 2025, when it stood at 9,685, and 690 lower than two years ago.
The figures are the Office for National Statistics claimant count for the borough, published through Nomis. It counts people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, plus Universal Credit claimants who are required to look for work.
The quick answer
- 9,265 claimants in Islington in September 2026, 5.5% of residents aged 16 to 64.
- Up 250 on August, a rise of 2.8%.
- Down 420 on September 2025, a fall of 4.3%.
- Highest ward rates: Hillrise 6.9% and Finsbury Park 6.7%. Lowest: Highbury 3.9%.
A London-wide rise, not an Islington one
September’s increase was not special to Islington. The count rose across London by 10,185, to 350,280, a rise of 3.0%. In England it rose by 34,670, to 1,493,875 (Nomis).
It does break the borough’s own pattern. In September 2025 Islington’s count fell slightly, by 75.
Islington’s rate of 5.5% sits just under London’s 5.6%. It is well above England’s 4.1%.
| Area | Claimants, Sept 2026 | Share of 16 to 64s |
|---|---|---|
| Haringey | 13,840 | 7.4% |
| Hackney | 13,555 | 6.9% |
| London | 350,280 | 5.6% |
| Islington | 9,265 | 5.5% |
| Camden | 7,400 | 4.6% |
| England | 1,493,875 | 4.1% |
So Islington has a lower share of claimants than its neighbours to the east and north, and a higher one than Camden.
Young people: back to last year’s level
Claimants aged 16 to 24 rose by 75 in a month, to 1,425. That is almost exactly where they were a year ago, when there were 1,430.
That means the whole of the past year’s fall came from people aged 25 and over. Their number dropped from 8,255 to 7,840.
Men make up 4,910 of September’s claimants and women 4,355.
Which wards have the most claimants
The ONS publishes ward figures a month behind the borough total, so the latest is August 2026. The gap across the borough is wide.
- Hillrise, in Archway, has the highest rate: 6.9%, or 725 people.
- Finsbury Park has the most claimants of any ward, 795, a rate of 6.7%.
- Laycock and Tollington are both at 6.1%.
- Highbury has the lowest rate, 3.9%, with 390 claimants.
Canonbury has seen the clearest fall this year. It had 540 claimants in January and 490 in August. St Mary’s and St James’ went the other way, from 385 to 410.
What it means for you
The claimant count is not the same as unemployment. Some claimants are in low-paid work and still required to look for more, and some people out of work claim nothing. It is the only measure published every month down to ward level, which is why it is worth watching.
If you are looking for work or training, the council runs youth employment hubs, supported internships and the Connect to Work programme for residents with disabilities or long-term health conditions. It says it aims to help 1,000 residents into work and 1,000 into apprenticeships, backed by £3.6 million of government and regional funding (Islington Council). Its contact centre is on 020 7527 2000.
We will update this page when the October figures are published.
Sources
- ONS claimant count (NM_162_1) for Islington, neighbouring boroughs, London and England, via Nomis, read 26 October 2026.
- Ward figures, wards as of May 2025, August 2026, via Nomis.
- Age and sex breakdown via Nomis.
- Islington Council, 27 July 2026, on its employment programmes.
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