Jobseeker levels creep up in West Mids
The West Midlands still has the second lowest level of employment in the UK, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The number of jobseekers in the region increased by 8,000 – a rise of 3.5 per cent - in the three months to August.
A total of 234,000 people were reported as being unemployed, a rate of 8.9 per cent.
It is one of the highest levels of unemployment in the UK, second only to the North East.
Institute of Directors West Midlands regional chairman John Rider said: "These are grim figures, and regrettably, are likely to get worse before they get better.
"About the only ‘positive’ you can find is that we are not as bad as the likes of the North East. There is evidence of the resilience the region is renowned for, but overall the picture is bad.
"The various government initiatives to help the West Midlands, such as enterprise zones, need to kick in now – not remain mired in red tape for months and months to come."
