Cheltenham Economy: Jobs, Businesses and Claimants
How many people work in Cheltenham and in which industries, how many businesses the town has, and how many residents are claiming unemployment-related benefits, compared with England.
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- Jobs 2024 · Businesses 2025 · Claimants August 2026
Cheltenham’s Economy
Cheltenham had 65,000 employee jobs in 2024 and 5,235 VAT and PAYE registered businesses in 2025. The biggest employer by industry is human health and social work activities, with 16.9% of jobs. Information and communication, which includes the town’s technology and cyber security firms, accounts for 7.7% of jobs against 4.8% across England, 1.61 times the national share.
In August 2026, 2,095 Cheltenham residents were claiming unemployment-related benefits, 2.7% of residents aged 16 to 64 against 4.0% across England. This page sits alongside employment rates and median earnings under All About Cheltenham.
Jobs by Industry
Employee jobs in each industry in 2024, and each industry's share of all jobs in Cheltenham compared with England. A comparison above 1.00 means the industry employs a larger share of people in Cheltenham than it does nationally.
| Industry | Jobs | Share of Jobs | England Share | Compared With England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human health and social work activities | 11,000 | 16.9% | 13.8% | 1.23 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 9,000 | 13.8% | 13.7% | 1.01 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 7,000 | 10.8% | 9.6% | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 6,000 | 9.2% | 7.7% | 1.20 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 6,000 | 9.2% | 8.8% | 1.04 |
| Education | 6,000 | 9.2% | 8.6% | 1.08 |
| Information and communication | 5,000 | 7.7% | 4.8% | 1.61 |
| Manufacturing | 3,500 | 5.4% | 7.1% | 0.76 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 2,500 | 3.8% | 4.5% | 0.85 |
| Construction | 2,000 | 3.1% | 4.9% | 0.63 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 2,000 | 3.1% | 3.4% | 0.90 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1,500 | 2.3% | 2.4% | 0.95 |
| Real estate activities | 1,000 | 1.5% | 1.9% | 0.80 |
| Other service activities | 1,000 | 1.5% | 2.0% | 0.78 |
| Transportation and storage | 800 | 1.2% | 5.1% | 0.24 |
| Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 350 | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.76 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 45 | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.19 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 35 | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.10 |
Employee Jobs over Time
Businesses
| Business Size in 2025 | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9 employees) | 4,615 | 88.2% |
| Small (10 to 49) | 495 | 9.5% |
| Medium-sized (50 to 249) | 95 | 1.8% |
| Large (250 or more) | 35 | 0.7% |
Unemployment Claimants
Data from the Office for National Statistics via Nomis: Business Register and Employment Survey, UK Business Counts and Claimant Count, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Last updated 20 September 2026.
FAQs
What Counts as an Employee Job?
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts jobs held by employees in registered businesses, in the place the job is based, whether or not the person lives in Cheltenham. It does not include the self-employed, and the published figures are rounded, which is why smaller industries show round numbers.
What Does the Comparison With England Mean?
It divides an industry's share of jobs in Cheltenham by its share of jobs across England. A figure of 1.00 means the same share, 1.50 means one and a half times the national share, and 0.50 means half.
Which Businesses Are Counted?
Businesses registered for VAT and, or, PAYE. Very small businesses that are below the VAT threshold and have no employees on PAYE are not included, so the true number of businesses, including sole traders, is higher.
What Is the Claimant Count?
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or the part of Universal Credit that is paid because someone is out of work or on a low income and required to look for work. It is a measure of benefit claims, not the official unemployment rate, and the roll-out of Universal Credit between 2013 and 2018 raised it without a matching rise in unemployment.
Where Does This Data Come From?
The Office for National Statistics, through Nomis. Jobs and businesses are published once a year and the claimant count monthly, and this page is refreshed monthly.