West Midlands unemployment biggest drop nationally since 2010

Employment is up in the West Midlands Credit: Danny Lawson/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Official figures released today show that the number of people unemployed in the UK has risen for the first time in two years, but that the unemployment rate has dropped in the West Midlands.

The number of people employed across the region has risen by 15,000 between March and May 2015, and by 28,000 since this time last year. It means there are now more than 2.6 million people in work.

A fall of 7,000 people in the same period means that there are now 165,000 out of work in the region.

  • Number of people in work: 2,607,000.

  • Number of people unemployed: 165,000

  • Number of unemployment benefit claimants: 80,200

Nationally, the West Midlands has seen the biggest drop in unemployment across the whole country in the last five years.