AQW 24571/22-27


Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim


Tabled Date: 18/03/2025
Answered On Date: 24/04/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants in Northern Ireland in the last five years, broken down by (i) age group; and (ii) constituency.


Answer:
The number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants in Northern Ireland in the last five years broken down by i) age group and ii) constituency are as follows:
Table 1 Jobseeker’s Allowance by Age Group (2019 - 2024)
Age group
Nov 2019
Nov 2020
Nov 2021
Nov 2022
Nov 2023
Nov 2024
Under 18
0
0
0
0
0
0
18-24
810
500
250
120
60
50
25-29
1,070
1,040
670
380
300
260
30-34
1,230
1,210
890
550
420
400
35-39
1,260
1,320
950
610
510
430
40-44
1,160
1,210
890
640
510
480
45-49
1,290
1,340
960
630
520
460
50-54
1,540
1,620
1,190
820
660
520
55-59
1,580
1,740
1,360
950
750
670
60-64
1,510
1,670
1,400
930
760
660
65+
160
340
280
170
150
140
Total
11,620
11,990
8,830
5,790
4,640
4,070
Source: Northern Ireland Benefits Statistics (Analytics Division- DfC)
Table 2: Jobseeker’s Allowance by Constituency (2019 - 2024)
Constituency
Nov 2019
Nov 2020
Nov 2021
Nov 2022
Nov 2023
Nov 2024
Belfast East
570
680
470
280
240
220
Belfast North
980
950
710
490
400
370
Belfast South and Mid Down
440
520
400
250
220
210
Belfast West
1,040
990
750
540
400
350
East Antrim
680
720
550
320
250
240
East Londonderry
680
640
490
350
280
230
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
560
590
430
310
240
220
Foyle
1,350
1,240
1,010
790
690
530
Lagan Valley
490
580
400
230
170
160
Mid Ulster
330
400
260
170
120
110
Newry And Armagh
450
500
380
230
200
180
North Antrim
930
710
480
280
200
170
North Down
460
530
380
220
180
160
South Antrim
500
560
380
200
150
140
South Down
410
510
330
220
170
160
Strangford
600
590
430
270
210
170
Upper Bann
480
580
440
280
230
200
West Tyrone
670
700
540
370
300
250
Unknown
0
20
20
0
0
0
Total
11,620
11,990
8,830
5,790
4,640
4,070
Source: Northern Ireland Benefits Statistics (Analytics Division- DfC)