More people out of work across the West Midlands in latest jobless figures

The latest Office for National Statistics figures showed an 11,000 rise on the June to August figures for the region with the unemployment rate at 5.2 per cent.

Employment in the West Midlands was down 55,000 to 2.72 million for the three months with a rate of 73.2 per cent.

What is the national picture?

Nationally record numbers of people are in work and job vacancies are at their joint highest level since 2001.

Average earnings increased by 3.4 per cent in the year to November, the highest for a decade, outpacing inflation.

UK employment increased by 141,000 to 32.5m, the highest since records began in 1971.

Unemployment also increased, up by 8,000 to 1.37m, although the total is 68,000 lower than a year ago, said the ONS.

The UK's jobless rate is now four per cent, down by 0.2 per cent on a year ago, and the lowest since 1975.

The break down across the Black Country, Staffordshire and Wyre Forest?

The numbers claiming unemployment benefits, including Universal Credit, in the West Midlands rose 1,275 from November to 107,710 – three per cent of the working population – last month.

Walsall, where Universal Credit is being rolled out, saw the only rise in the Black Country of 365 to 5,700 (3.3 per cent).

Sandwell was down 135 to 7,090 (3.5 per cent) and Wolverhampton fell by 50 to 8,565 (5.3 per cent).

The Dudley figure stayed at 7,670 (four per cent).

Staffordshire saw a rise of 85 to 7,065 (1.3 per cent) with Lichfield rising by 50 to 895 (1.4 per cent) and Cannock Chase up 35 to 835 (1.3 per cent).

South Staffordshire had 20 fewer claiming at 945 (1.4 per cent) and the Stafford total was down five to 815 (one per cent).

The Staffordshire figure has remained the same for the last three months.

For Wyre Forest, including Kidderminster, the claimants total rose by 65 to 955 (1.6 per cent).

The national increase in both unemployment and employment is explained by the UK's rising population, and fewer people classed as economically inactive, which includes those on long-term sick leave, students, and people who have given up looking for a job.

The number of economically inactive people fell by 100,000 in the latest quarter to 8.6m, a rate of 21 per cent, the lowest on record.

Emma Reynolds MP: 'Employment figures show strategy is not working'

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds has criticised the Government approach to unemployment, as new statistics have been released for the region.

Statistics released today by the Office for National Statistics show employment rising 0.2 per cent across the UK between August 2018 and November 2018, but in the West Midlands the rate dropped 1.3 per cent – the only region to see a fall over this period.

In Wolverhampton the employment rate in the year to September 2018 was the lowest in the West Midlands at 64.9 per cent.

Commenting on the figures, the MP said: “The Government like to boast their employment strategy is working across the country. But the reality is that here in Wolverhampton we just do not see it. The national trend masks huge regional variations.

“While national employment has gone up very slightly, in the West Midlands employment has gone down – and here in Wolverhampton we have the lowest employment rate in the region. It is deeply concerning that the Government still has not tackled unemployment in our area.

“I will be following up with Ministers to ask why their strategy is not working here, what they are going to do to grow the economy equally across the country, and create jobs here in Wolverhampton.”

The Government's view

Employment Minister Alok Sharma said: "Once again, we see a new record employment rate in the UK, with more people in work than ever before.

"UK workers also got a much needed pay boost before Christmas with wages outpacing inflation for the tenth month in a row in November, growing at the fastest rate in a decade.

"There are 328,000 more people in work over the past year, almost entirely driven by full-time jobs as the Government delivers an economy that works for the British people.

"Our pro-business policies have helped boost private sector employment by 3.8 million since 2010."

Business view: 'i54 helping to drive job prospects'

Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth chief Councillor Mark Winnington said it had been an encouraging start to the new year and followed last week’s approval of the western extension to the i54 South Staffordshire business park.

“We have started the new year with planning approval of the i54 South Staffordshire western extension which will see the generation of up to 1,700 jobs and £300 million investment.

"This will support our drive for better paid, higher skilled jobs in Staffordshire and release up to £3m a year in business rates – essential in funding our public services going forward.

“Half of the 2,700 people working on the current i54 site live within a 10-mile radius so this really will make a difference. With other county sites like Four Ashes in South Staffordshire and Redhill in Stafford nearing full occupancy and more major projects getting off the ground, we are confident of continued long-term growth, increased investment and employment opportunities as the year progresses.”