Stroud has seen the biggest increase in people claiming Jobseekers' Allowance during lockdown of anywhere in the UK.

There was a 332.8 per cent rise in claimants during May compared with the pre-lockdown level in February. This is a year-on-year rise of 284.7 per cent.

In total there were 277 claimants last month, analysis by income streaming provider Wagestream revealed. This is one of the lowest number of claimants among the 30 local authorities to have suffered the biggest percentage increase.

The picture across the UK varies wildly but no town, city or London Borough in the UK has a bigger percentage increase than Stroud over the same period.

More than half or local authorities have seen a doubling in the number of claims but Stroud was one of ten where the claimant count has more than quadrupled.

This is despite the overall number of JSA claimants in the UK increasing only 73.6 per cent in the same time.