2,015 people were claiming in the Lewes district in August, up 1.5% in a year and the smallest rise in East Sussex. Under-25 claims rose 45 as older ones fell.

The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits in the Lewes district barely moved over the past year. There were 2,015 claimants in August 2026, up 30 on August 2025. That is a rise of 1.5 per cent.

Every other district in East Sussex rose faster. So did the county, the South East and the UK as a whole.

The figures are from the ONS claimant count, published through nomis on 15 September. All counts are rounded to the nearest five.

The smallest rise in the county

Change in the number of claimants, August 2025 to August 2026:

Area August 2025 August 2026 Change
Wealden 2,050 2,275 +225 (11.0%)
Hastings 2,620 2,790 +170 (6.5%)
Rother 1,550 1,650 +100 (6.5%)
East Sussex 11,090 11,695 +605 (5.5%)
South East 178,670 185,290 +6,620 (3.7%)
Eastbourne 2,885 2,970 +85 (2.9%)
United Kingdom 1,663,580 1,698,450 +34,870 (2.1%)
Lewes district 1,985 2,015 +30 (1.5%)
Change in claimant count, August 2025 to August 2026 Bar chart of the annual percentage change in the claimant count. Wealden rose 11.0 per cent, Hastings and Rother 6.5, East Sussex 5.5, the South East 3.7, Eastbourne 2.9, the UK 2.1 and the Lewes district 1.5 per cent, the smallest rise in East Sussex. Lewes had the smallest claimant rise in East Sussex Change in the number of people claiming, August 2025 to August 2026 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% Wealden +11.0% (+225) Hastings +6.5% (+170) Rother +6.5% (+100) East Sussex (county) +5.5% (+605) South East +3.7% (+6,620) Eastbourne +2.9% (+85) United Kingdom +2.1% (+34,870) Lewes district +1.5% (+30) Counts rounded to the nearest five. Source: ONS claimant count via nomis (NM_162_1), released 15 September 2026. Graphic by The Lewes Post
Annual change in the claimant count, Lewes district against its neighbours, the region and the UK.

As a share of residents aged 16 to 64, the district rate is 3.5 per cent, up from 3.4 per cent a year ago. That is below the UK’s 3.9 per cent and the county’s 3.7 per cent. It is above the South East’s 3.1 per cent.

Within East Sussex, Hastings has the highest rate at 5.0 per cent, then Eastbourne at 4.9 per cent. Rother is on 3.2 per cent and Wealden on 2.4 per cent.

The whole rise is young people

The total went up by 30. Claimants aged 16 to 24 went up by 45. The older age groups fell.

Age August 2025 August 2026 Change
16 to 24 390 435 +45 (11.5%)
25 to 49 1,090 1,085 -5
50 and over 505 495 -10

The under-25 rise is below the county’s. Across East Sussex, under-25 claimants rose 12.2 per cent, from 2,090 to 2,345. Hastings saw the sharpest increase, up 90 to 600.

By sex, men went from 1,145 to 1,150, and women from 840 to 865.

Lewes town wards rose in a month

Across the district, the total rose by just 5 between July and August. But the three Lewes town wards moved more than that:

  • Lewes Castle: 90 to 110 (4.6 per cent of 16 to 64s)
  • Lewes Bridge: 115 to 125 (4.1 per cent)
  • Lewes Priory: 185, unchanged (4.1 per cent)

Together they went from 390 to 420. These are small numbers rounded to the nearest five, so one month is not a trend. It is worth watching in the October release.

Newhaven South is still the district’s highest ward, at 335 claimants and 6.6 per cent. That is higher than the average for any East Sussex district, including Hastings. The lowest rates are in Wivelsfield (1.2 per cent), Newick and Ditchling and Westmeston (both 1.5 per cent).

The 21 ward figures add to 2,020 rather than 2,015. That gap is the rounding.

A correction to July’s figures

ONS has revised the July 2026 count. Our July story reported 2,055 claimants, the figure published at the time. The revised figure is 2,010. On the revised numbers, July’s rise on the year was 65, not 110.

That means August’s 2,015 is not a new high. The count has sat between 2,000 and 2,050 every month since February 2026. The highest month in the past two years was February 2025, at 2,075.

What it means for you

The claimant count is not the unemployment rate. The ONS says it “does not attempt to measure unemployment”. It counts “the number of people claiming benefits principally for the reason of being unemployed”. Since Universal Credit, that includes some people in low-paid work who must look for more hours.

For the district, the practical reading is:

  • The overall picture is steady. Lewes has not seen the rises hitting Wealden, Hastings and Rother.
  • Young people are the exception. The whole of the district’s rise over the year is among 16 to 24 year olds.
  • Where you live matters more than the district average. Newhaven South’s rate is more than five times Wivelsfield’s.

The September figures are due on 20 October 2026.

Related: Lewes house prices and planning applications in the district.

Sources