West Midlands unemployment rates: Jobless figures down in pre-Christmas boost

As the UK's unemployment rate fell to a 10-year low of 4.8% the jobless stood at 1.62 million after a reduction of 16,000 in the three months to October.

Despite rises in many areas such as the East Midlands, East of England and the North West, the overall number was pulled down by falls in London, the South West and the North East.

In the West Midlands unemployment fell by 25,000 over the three months, to 151,000.

The UK now has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the EU, with only Germany and the Czech Republic having a lower figure.

And there was more good new for the region from the latest claimant count figures for November. Across the West Midlands it was down by 1,790 to 81,790.

This was despite a UK wide an increase of 2,000 in the claimant count last month, to 809,000 - the highest figure since February 2015. The figures differ because not everyone who is classed as unemployed is eligible to claim benefits such as Jobseeker's Allowance.

In Wolverhampton the claimant count was down by 170 between October and November to 6,565, although at 4.1 per cent of the city's workforce the claimant rate is one of the highest in the country and more than double the 1.8% national average.

In Dudley the count was down by just 15 to 5,630, or 2.9 per cent of the borough's working population, but in Sandwell it fell by 110 to 7.115, or 3.6 per cent, and in Walsall it dropped by 125 to 4,825, or 2.9 per cent.

In Kidderminster and Wyre Forest the number of people claiming unemployment benefits was down by 14 to 730 – just 1.2 per cent of the district's working population.

In Staffordshire the claimant rate fell by 170 to 4,920, or 0.9 per cent – half the national average. In Cannock Chase it was down 15 to 710, in Lichfield it fell by 10 to 430. In South Staffordshire the count was down by 35 to 695 and in Stafford it was down by 20 to 650.

Nationwide there was a slight fall of 6,000 in the number of people in work, to 31.7 million, although the figure for women reached a record high of almost 15 million. The employment rate for women is now almost 70%, the best since records began in 1971.

The Office for National Statistics also reported a rise of 76,000 in the number of people classed as economically inactive. The total, which includes those on long-term sick leave, taking early retirement, looking after a relative or who have given up looking for work, is 8.9 million.

Average earnings increased by 2.5% in the year to October, up by 0.1% on the previous month.

Public sector employment has increased by 12,000 to 5.4 million, mainly due to new jobs in the NHS and education. The figure is 10,000 lower than a year ago, while local government employment has reached a record low of 2.1 million.

The number of workers in private firms has fallen by 17,000 to 26 million, but is still 352,000 higher than a year ago.

Other figures showed a 107,000 increase in part-time workers to a near record high of 8.56 million.

There has been a 10% fall in the numbers in part-time jobs wanting full-time work over the past year, to a total of 1.16 million.

Pay growth is said to be particularly strong in the construction industry.

ONS senior statistician David Freeman said: "The labour market appears to have flattened off in recent months. While the employment rate remains high, it is slightly down on the record set recently. Meanwhile, a small fall in unemployment on the quarter was more than offset by a rise in economic inactivity."