Revealed: Latest unemployment and claimant count date from the West Midlands

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the UK rate of unemployment was 4.1 per cent over the three months to July, dropping from 4.2% over the previous three months and marking the lowest since the three months to January.

The West Midlands the figure stood at 4.7 per cent for May to July, down from 4.9 per cent.

However, vacancies fell once again, dropping by 42,000 quarter-on-quarter to 857,000 in the three months to August.

More real-time figures showed the number of payrolled workers fell by 59,000 between July and August to 30.3 million.

The West Midlands claimant count covering those claiming unemployment benefits, last month was up slightly at 213,625, compared to 213,475 in July.

In Shropshire, the number of claimants was 5,180 (2.7 per cent of the working population), down ten.

In Telford and Wrekin, the number was 4,825, up five from July while in Powys, the number of claimants was 2,090, a fall of 50 from July.

In the Black Country, claimant figures for Sandwell stood at 16,270 (7.5 per cent of the working population), up 70.

Walsall's claimant count was 11,450 (6.6 per cent), up from 11,365 while Wolverhampton was 13,510 (8.2 per cent).

The number of claimants in Dudley stood at 10,305 (5,2 per cent) for August.Wyre Forest, including Kidderminster, had 2,055 claimants.

In Staffordshire, the number of claimants stood at 16,745 (3.1 per cent of the working population), down from 16,855 in July.

Cannock Chase had 2,275 claimants while Lichfield figures stood at 1,615. In Stafford, the number of claimants for August was 2,265, down from 2,290 in July, while in south Staffordshire, the figure was 1,850, representing no change. Tamworth figures stood at 1,745.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that regular wage growth fell to 5.1 per cent year on year over the three months to July, marking the lowest level since the quarter to July 2022.

With Consumer Prices Index inflation taken into account, UK workers saw their pay increase by 3 per cent, down from 3.2 per cent in the previous three months.

Matthew Percival, CBI Future of Work & Skills Director, said: "The labour market continues to send mixed signals with a continued softening of hiring intentions and vacancies, but easing pay pressures and a small decrease in long-term sickness for the fourth month in a row.

"Tackling economic inactivity is one of the big challenges in our labour market, and will be crucial to securing sustainable growth.

"At the Budget, the government can build on this momentum by making it easier for employers to play their part in keeping employees healthy and preventing them from becoming sick in the first place. That includes making Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) fully tax-free benefits and relaxing rules on tax relief for employer-funded medical treatment."

Responding to the latest ONS labour market statistics, Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “There are some further signs of loosening in the jobs market as vacancies continue to fall and wage growth slows.

“But pay continues to outpace inflation by some margin and high levels of economic inactivity mean recruitment difficulties are likely to persist.

“With over 850,000 more people no longer seeking work than before the pandemic, this remains a big concern.

“Dig deeper into this data and the numbers who are inactive due to long-term sickness have increased by more than 650,000 since early 2020.

“The autumn statement presents a key opportunity to reverse this trend. Action needs to be taken to help employers promote good health and wellbeing and for people not to fall out of work unnecessarily.

“Removing the tax on workplace medical insurance and cash health plans for employers and their people would encourage more take up.”

A British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) spokesperson said: “With the beer and pub sector playing such a huge role in supporting more than 900,000 jobs across the UK, it’s heartening to hear unemployment rates have fallen. For the job market to flourish, it’s vital our sector is given the support it needs to continue.

“We’re calling on the Government to use the upcoming budget to cut beer duty, instigate business rates reform, and pledge to keep the 75 per cent business rates relief to ensure that pubs and brewers can grow and help get more people into work."