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West Midlands unemployment falls as record number in work

Unemployment has fallen in the West Midlands with the number in work in the region at a new record high of 2.78 million.

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Unemployment is down in the West Midlands

Nationally the number of people in work and job vacancies have also reached new record levels.

Employment in the UK increased by 137,000 in the quarter to May to 32.4 million, the highest figure since records began in 1971, giving a record rate of 75.7 per cent and job vacancies increased by 7,000 to 824,000 - the most since records began in 2001.

For the West Midlands the number in work is up 137,000 on the year.

Nationally unemployment fell by 12,000 to 1.41 million, giving a jobless rate of 4.2 per cent, the joint lowest for more than 30 years, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The West Midlands figure was down 2,000 to 141,000 (4.8 per cent of the working population). Over the course of the last year it has fallen by 25,000.

Average earnings increased by 2.5 per cent in the year to May, compared with 2.4 per cent the previous month.

The claimant count, which includes people on Jobseeker's Allowance and the unemployment element of Universal Credit, increased by 7,800 last month to 898,700, around 97,000 more than a year ago.

For the West Midlands the number of claimants rose by 390 to 100,340, but Staffordshire had a fall of 165 to 6,975.

Wolverhampton had a rise of 140 to 7,955 (4.9 per cent of the working population) and Dudley was up by 110 at 7,345 (3.8 per cent).

There were falls of 140 in Walsall to 5,080 (three per cent) and 115 in Sandwell to 7,500 (3.7 per cent).

Claimant numbers in Lichfield were up 45 to 790 (1.3 per cent) and South Staffordshire had a rise of 15 to 955 (1.4 per cent). Cannock Chase claimants were down 45 to 870(1.4 per cent) and Stafford numbers fell by 10 to 830 (one per cent).

Wyre Forest, which takes in Kidderminster, had a fall of 40 to 960 (1.6 per cent).