Unemployment down by almost 20 per cent in West Midlands

At the same time the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits has continued to fall across the Black Country and Staffordshire.

Nationwide unemployment is now at a seven-year low, down by 110,000 in the quarter to October to 1.7 million. At the same time, across the UK, more than 31 million people are in work, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.

In the West Midlands unemployment fell by 3,000 to 153,000 and has dropped by more than 18 per cent in the last 12 months. Employment in the region rose 22,000 to 2,617,000 over the last quarter.

Employment Minister Priti Patel said: "The number of people in work in the West Midlands is almost at a record high."

Across the country the claimant count - those on jobseeker's allowance and the out of work element of Universal Credit – increased by 3,900 last month to 796,200, the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.

In Wolverhampton the claimant count fell by 124 to 5,885, while in Walsall it was down by 40 to 4,230 and in Sandwell it fell 105 to 6,335. But the number of people claiming benefits in Dudley increased, by 93, to 5,275.

Cathy Taylor, from Jobcentre Plus in the Black Country, said: "There's no obvious reason for the rise in Dudley. It is certainly against the trend. Across the area we have seen the number of young people claiming down by 26 per cent, while overall claimant figures are down 21 per cent."

After the recent Christmas recruitment surge by shops and delivery companies, Mrs Taylor said her team was now preparing to deal with the first workers to be laid off from Goodyear, which is closing over the next two years.

"We have already been working with people who lost their jobs at Caparo. Some have gone back into manufacturing but others are looking at jobs in other fields."

She said more jobs were expected in the care sector and hospitality industry in the area next year, alongside the constant demand from the expanding Jaguar Land Rover engine factory beside the M54.

Meanwhile, in Staffordshire, the number of people claiming jobs seekers' allowance has fallen to a record low at just 0.7 per cent of the population.

Staffordshire County Council's economy leader Mark Winnington said: ""This is a fantastic way to see out 2015 – the lowest ever figure for JSA claimants in the county. It is rewarding for everyone in Staffordshire to end the year on a high when it comes to improving people's employment opportunities."

Overall jobless benefit claimant numbers for Staffordshire fell by just 36 last month, to 4,515. Numbers were down in Cannock Chase, by four to 690 and by 68 in Stafford to 575. But they were up by 19 in South Staffordshire, to 685, and rose by 21 in Lichfield to 415.