580 Kingston claimants were aged 16 to 24 in September, up 65 in a year and the most since 2021, while the borough total held at 3,695. Ward figures inside.
More young people are claiming unemployment-related benefits in Kingston than at any time in the past five years. The borough had 580 claimants aged 16 to 24 in September 2026, up 65 on a year earlier.
That is a rise of 12.6 per cent. The last month with more young claimants was September 2021, when the count stood at 600 and was still falling after the pandemic.
The borough total barely moved. Kingston had 3,695 claimants in September, 10 more than in September 2025. That is 3.2 per cent of residents aged 16 to 64.
The figures come from the Office for National Statistics claimant count, published through Nomis on 20 October.
Young and old up, middle years down
The total hides two rises and one fall:
| Age group | September 2025 | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 515 | 580 | +65 (+12.6%) |
| 25 to 49 | 2,275 | 2,150 | -125 (-5.5%) |
| 50 and over | 900 | 970 | +70 (+7.8%) |
| All ages | 3,685 | 3,695 | +10 (+0.3%) |
The age groups do not add exactly to the total because every figure is rounded to the nearest five.
Kingston’s young claimant count is rising faster than London’s or England’s. Across the capital, claimants aged 16 to 24 went from 51,790 to 54,385, up 5.0 per cent. Across England they rose from 273,345 to 301,395, up 10.3 per cent, according to the regional figures.
The climb has been steady rather than sudden. The young claimant count bottomed out at 305 in June 2022. It passed 400 in the summer of 2023 and 500 in November 2024. It has been 550 or higher every month since October 2025. September’s figure was 30 higher than August’s.
The over-50s count is also at a high. At 970, it is the largest since February 2022, when it stood at 980. The over-50s series has stayed above 880 every month since July 2024. Across London, over-50s claimants rose 1.9 per cent in the year, against 7.8 per cent in Kingston.
What kept the total flat was the 25 to 49 group, down 125. London saw a smaller fall in that group, of 2.8 per cent.
By sex, claims among men rose from 1,985 to 2,025. Claims among women fell from 1,705 to 1,670.
August’s figures were revised down
The ONS has revised the August count since we reported it in September. August’s total is now 3,600, not 3,675. Claimants aged 50 and over are now 960, not 980. On the revised figures, September’s total was 95 higher than August’s.
September’s own figures may be revised next month in the same way. We have added a note to the August story.
How Kingston compares
Kingston’s rate is still the third lowest of the 33 London local authorities. Only the City of London (1.1 per cent) and Richmond upon Thames (2.6 per cent) are lower, according to the borough-by-borough table.
| Area | Claimants | % of residents aged 16-64 | Change since Sep 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond upon Thames | 3,250 | 2.6% | +80 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 3,695 | 3.2% | +10 |
| Sutton | 4,795 | 3.5% | +65 |
| Wandsworth | 10,150 | 4.0% | -125 |
| Merton | 6,790 | 4.6% | -110 |
| London | 350,280 | 5.6% | -1,500 |
Neighbouring figures come from the same dataset for each borough.
Ward by ward
Norbiton has the most claimants and the highest rate, at 415 and 5.0 per cent. It rose by 20 on August, the biggest monthly increase of any ward. Surbiton Hill and New Malden Village each rose by 15.
St Mark’s & Seething Wells was the only ward to fall, by 10. Tolworth was unchanged at 320. Tudor has the lowest rate, at 2.0 per cent.
| Ward | August | September | September % of 16-64s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norbiton | 395 | 415 | 5.0% |
| Tolworth | 320 | 320 | 4.1% |
| Kingston Town | 285 | 290 | 3.3% |
| St Mark's & Seething Wells | 295 | 285 | 3.1% |
| Surbiton Hill | 245 | 260 | 3.4% |
| Hook & Chessington North | 220 | 230 | 3.2% |
| New Malden Village | 210 | 225 | 3.8% |
| Kingston Gate | 190 | 200 | 2.7% |
| Coombe Vale | 175 | 180 | 2.7% |
| Green Lane & St James | 170 | 175 | 3.9% |
| Chessington South & Malden Rushett | 165 | 170 | 2.8% |
| Coombe Hill | 155 | 160 | 3.4% |
| King George's & Sunray | 140 | 145 | 3.9% |
| Canbury Gardens | 135 | 140 | 2.5% |
| Old Malden | 130 | 135 | 3.4% |
| Motspur Park & Old Malden East | 110 | 115 | 2.7% |
| Alexandra | 95 | 95 | 2.4% |
| Tudor | 80 | 85 | 2.0% |
| Berrylands | 75 | 80 | 2.1% |
Ward figures come from the same dataset at ward level. The August column uses the revised figures. Because of rounding, the wards add up to 3,705 rather than the borough’s 3,695, and a move of five or ten in a ward is within the noise.
What the claimant count measures
This is not the unemployment rate. The ONS says the claimant count “does not attempt to measure unemployment”. It measures “the number of people claiming benefits principally for the reason of being unemployed, based on administrative data from the benefits system”, according to its quality and methodology note.
Under Universal Credit, that includes some people who are in work on low earnings and must look for more. It leaves out people who are out of work but do not claim.
What it means for you
- If you are 16 to 24 and looking for work, the council’s Youth Launchpad is for young people living or studying in Kingston. It lists free skills courses, work experience and local support services.
- If you are older and looking for work, the council’s skills and employment hub lists local training, job coaching and support.
- If you need help with money while you look, start with the council’s benefits and support pages.
- If you want free or cheap courses, Kingston Adult Education runs essential skills courses in English, maths and digital skills.
A rise of 65 young claimants in a year is not a crisis in a borough of Kingston’s size. But it has been building for four years, it is outpacing London, and it now sits alongside the highest over-50s count since early 2022. The October figures are due in November.
Sources
- ONS claimant count, dataset NM_162_1, via Nomis: borough by age, 16 to 24 series, London and England, London boroughs and wards. Published 20 October 2026.
- ONS, Claimant Count quality and methodology information.
- Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Youth Launchpad.
- Figures are Crown copyright, published under the Open Government Licence.
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