Claimant rate: highest and lowest councils in East of England (August 2026)
Luton had the highest claimant rate of East of England’s 45 councils in August 2026, at 6.6%.
4 councils had the joint lowest, at 2.0%. The middle council, Braintree, had 2.7%.
See it on the map| Rank | Council | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luton | 6.6% |
| 2 | Peterborough | 5.4% |
| 3 | Great Yarmouth | 4.8% |
| =4 | Harlow | 4.6% |
| =4 | Watford | 4.6% |
| =6 | Bedford | 4.5% |
| =6 | Ipswich | 4.5% |
| 8 | Thurrock | 4.3% |
| 9 | Southend-on-Sea | 4.2% |
| =10 | Norwich | 4.1% |
| =10 | Tendring | 4.1% |
| =12 | Basildon | 3.9% |
| =12 | Fenland | 3.9% |
| =14 | Hertsmere | 3.6% |
| =14 | Stevenage | 3.6% |
| 16 | Broxbourne | 3.3% |
| =17 | Colchester | 3.2% |
| =17 | Dacorum | 3.2% |
| =17 | Epping Forest | 3.2% |
| =17 | Welwyn Hatfield | 3.2% |
| 21 | King's Lynn and West Norfolk | 3.0% |
| 22 | East Suffolk | 2.8% |
| =23 | Braintree | 2.7% |
| =23 | Chelmsford | 2.7% |
| =23 | North Norfolk | 2.7% |
| =23 | Three Rivers | 2.7% |
| =27 | Breckland | 2.6% |
| =27 | Castle Point | 2.6% |
| =27 | Central Bedfordshire | 2.6% |
| =27 | Maldon | 2.6% |
| =31 | Brentwood | 2.5% |
| =31 | West Suffolk | 2.5% |
| =33 | Babergh | 2.4% |
| =33 | North Hertfordshire | 2.4% |
| =33 | St Albans | 2.4% |
| =36 | Huntingdonshire | 2.3% |
| =36 | Rochford | 2.3% |
| =36 | South Norfolk | 2.3% |
| 39 | East Cambridgeshire | 2.2% |
| =40 | Broadland | 2.1% |
| =40 | Mid Suffolk | 2.1% |
| =42 | Cambridge | 2.0% |
| =42 | East Hertfordshire | 2.0% |
| =42 | South Cambridgeshire | 2.0% |
| =42 | Uttlesford | 2.0% |