Moves to tackle Wolverhampton’s high unemployment rates

Figures show the city has consistently had one of the highest rates for unemployment claims over several years and jobless levels continue to be high within the city.

The claims rate for working age people as of August 2023 was 7.5 per cent, down from the revised July 2023 figure of 7.6 per cent.

Numbers have decreased by 205 to 12,325, but still remain the second highest in England.

The provisional claims rate for 18 to 24-year-olds was 10.5 per cent, a decrease of 0.2 per cent, with a decrease of 35 claimants down to 2,250.

Wolverhampton Council’s head of skills Julie Obada told this week’s audit and risk committee: “The work that we have been doing in helping jobseekers is aimed at all ages, but we will continue to target young people and give them as much support as we possibly can.

“Our youth unemployment hub at The Way has been very successful. It is one of the few in the region and we are very lucky to have it for a second year, as the DWP are not funding most youth hubs around the country.

"But they are supporting ours because they can see the evidential benefit and more than 800 young people have been supported since it started in October 2021.

“It has had a conversion rate of 36 per cent for people into work, which is comparable to any other employment support programme in the country.

"We’ve now got a second youth hub at the Bilston campus of the city college so we will be working with both them and the DWP on that.

“There are also a number of specialist teams working within the local authority, in particular one that is supporting anyone aged 16 and over who has a disability.

"And we’ve also got a new programme that gives very targeted and specialist support to people with drug and alcohol/substance misuse issues, which looks at helping them into work while they are on a recovery programme,” she said.

“I’m pleased to say that both of those teams have been very successful in getting people into work over the last six months.

"We also talk a lot with local employers and have employer facing staff supporting them in getting people to fill their vacancies via our Wolves Workbox. Over 1,200 jobs across 76 employers are advertised on there.

“Careers advisors are in all our seconday schools, special schools/alternative provisions and the city college.

"We’ve now got some extra resources in those teams that support all our vulnerable young people, particularly those with special educational needs (SEND).

"Our city schools consistently perform well above the national average for careers advice and guidance.

“A new work experience programme called Open Door will be starting in the New Year.

"This will give people aged 19 plus 12 weeks of work experience in a sector that they are interested in."

Councillor Phil Bateman said: “This is one of the most difficult things for us as a local authority, as we are constantly under pressure when it comes to tackling high unemployment statistics here in our city.

"I am very proud of the work being done, as this is a tough ask for any local authority.”