Abingdon is one of Britain’s worst credit crunch-hit towns, according to new figures.

The Vale of the White Horse district — which includes the historic market town — has seen the biggest rise in unemployment claimants in the country, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

The Vale’s Jobseeker’s Allowance claimant count has risen almost 150 per cent between January 2008 and January 2009.

Nearby Swindon and Chippenham in Wiltshire, Haywards Heath, a commuter town in West Sussex and Camberley in Surrey are other towns that have also seen their claimant count soar.

During the 12-month period, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in the Vale jumped from 416 to 1,029.

People aged over 25 who are actively seeking work are paid £60.50 a week.

Terry Boswell, joint chairman of Abingdon Chamber of Commerce, said: “The reason why we showed such a significant proportional increase is because the base figure is a lot lower than many other areas.

“It’s still regrettable and an indication of the trend happening worldwide.”