Employment at record level but more are out of work
UK employment surged to another record high in the three months to January, but unemployment also rose as fewer people became economically inactive.
Wage growth also accelerated during the period, increasing to 3.1 per cent growth from 2.9 per cent in December.
The number of people in work increased by 183,000 to 32.99 million in the quarter, the Office for National Statistics said.
Unemployment increased by 5,000 to 1.34 million in the three months. For the West Midlands it was up 1,000 to 133,000 – an unemployment rate of 4.5 per cent.
Numbers in work in the region were up 5,000 to 2,827,000 with the employment rate at 75.2per cent.
Analysts had forecast that national employment would increase by 143,000 in January.
Credit
David Freeman, ONS head of labour market statistics, said: "Today's figures show continuing record employment but also a slight rise in unemployment on the year – for the first time since early summer 2012.
"This is because we also see a record low rate for people neither working nor looking for work.
"Meanwhile, vacancies have continued to rise after recent falls, with more now than at any time in the last six months."
The numbers claiming unemployment benefits, including Universal Credit, in the West Midlands last month were up 3,590 to 142,260 – 3.9 per cent of the working population.
Shropshire saw the claimant count rise by 55 to 3,900, or 2.1 per cent of the working population.
Telford and Wrekin's claimant count was up by 45 to 3,355, or three per cent of the working population.
The figure in Powys rose by 70 to 1,435, or 1.9 per cent of the population.
