THE Forest of Dean saw a slight reduction in unemployment figures in December, while Gloucestershire overall saw a slight rise.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the claimant count in the Forest of Dean was 1,385 in November 2025, and dropped to 1,350 in December 2025.

Gloucestershire overall saw a rise from 10,420 in November 2025 to 10,495 in December 2025. Additionally, the number of unemployed men in the county stands at 5,825, while the number of unemployed women stands at 4,675.

The latest data report said: “All districts saw an increase in the estimated number of unemployed claimants, except Cheltenham, Cotswold and Forest of Dean which saw a decrease.”