Job vacancies in region plummet due to Covid-19

The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has collected data from Adzuna – one of the UK's largest online job search engines.

They have warned that many people struggling before the worldwide pandemic will now be even worse off – and say much more must be done to support livelihoods.

There were 960 job vacancies in Wolverhampton on June 14 – 42 per cent fewer than on March 15. It was also 58 per cent lower than at the same time a year previously.

Over in Dudley, there were 2,537 vacancies on June 14 – 65 per cent fewer than March 15; in Sandwell there were 544 – 55 per cent fewer; and in Walsall there were 456 – 52 per cent fewer.

In Staffordshire, over in Stafford there were 1,334 job vacancies in Stafford on June 14 – 59 per cent fewer than March 15; in Cannock Chase there were 340 – 46 per cent fewer; and in South Staffordshire there were 1,051 vacancies – 61 per cent fewer.

Across the country, the number of vacancies plunged to 367,000 on June 14 – 55 per cent lower than the 820,000 jobs advertised before the virus rocked the economy.

Tony Wilson, director of the IES, said: “This crisis has affected all parts of the economy, but it’s clear that it is hitting some places harder than others.

“Many of these areas were struggling before this crisis began and are in even more trouble now.

“We need to be doing much more both to support employment demand in the short term – for example by cutting employer National Insurance – and in the longer-term to support new industries and jobs.”

Employment minister Mims Davies said: “We know it’s a challenging jobs market for many at the moment and some sectors have been hit particularly hard.

“That’s why we’ve taken unprecedented action to support our economy during this emergency, protecting millions of jobs and thousands of businesses through the furlough scheme, grants, loans and tax cuts.”

She added that levelling up opportunity will be “at the heart of the revival” of the economy.