Employment struggle set to continue, says IPPR
West Midlands' employment will not return to pre-recession levels until 2020, new research has claimed.
A survey completed by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) said the divide in employment is "set to widen", with the West Midlands trailing behind as the greater South East recovers fastest.
It said that by 2020, the West Midlands will only return to 1990 levels of employment, and will still be "someway off" the 2008 peak.
Ed Cox, a director at IPPR, said the situation was "looking bleak".
He added: "This new research is alarming and something urgently needs to be done to stop the gulf widening and people in the worst affected areas suffering a dismal decade. But there are things that can be done right now to help and a jobs guarantee would be a good place for George Osborne to start.
"This would help boost employment in the areas that need it most and offer some hope to people who are long-term unemployed.”
