West Midlands unemployment falls

The jobless total dipped by 97,000 in the three month from October to December to 1.86 million - almost half a million down on a year ago. In the West Midlands it fell 32,000 to 169,000.

But the latest Jobseeker's Allowance figures for January saw increases in number of claimants across the region as people who had seasonal jobs went back on the register.

The number claiming in the region was up 3,930 from December to 88,888.

Employment in October to December increased nationally by 103,000 to almost 31 million, the highest since records began in 1971.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance was cut by 38,600 in December to 823,000, the 27th consecutive monthly fall and the lowest since the summer of 2008, but for January it was up to 852,934.

Pay continued to rise ahead of inflation, with average earnings increasing by 2.1% in the year to December, 0.3% up on the previous month.

Long-term unemployment was also down, falling by 210,000 for those out of work for over a year, to 638,000.

• Wolverhampton still has the highest rate of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the West Midlands at 4.7 per cent of the working population.
• The number of claimants rose by 379 to 7,442.
• Walsall was up 301 to 5,266 (3.1 per cent), Dudley by 202 to 6,002 (four per cent) and Sandwell by 127 to 7,567 (3.8 per cent).
• Cannock Chase was up 101 to 873 (1.4 per cent), Stafford by 58 to 730 (0.9 per cent), Lichfield by 42 to 444 (0.7 per cent) and South Staffordshire by 31 to 864 (1.3 per cent).
• Wyre Forest, including Kidderminster, saw 79 more claimants with the figure of 1,005 giving a rate of 1.7 per cent.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "With unemployment continuing to fall, wages rising, and a record number of people in work, it's clear that the Government's long-term economic plan to get the country back on track is working.

"In the week that Universal Credit started its nationwide roll-out, these figures show that a reformed welfare system goes hand in hand with helping people to take advantage of the record number of vacancies available.

"The jobs-led recovery is changing people's lives for the better on a daily basis. We are getting people into work, making work pay, and in so doing we are ensuring a better future for Britain."

Shadow employment minister Stephen Timms said: "Today's fall in overall unemployment is welcome but five years of the Tories' failing plan has left working people £1,600 a year worse off since 2010. Low pay has left millions of working families struggling to make ends meet and has led to billions more spent on the housing benefit bill."