There was a small, but nonetheless very welcome, fall in Birmingham’s level of claimant unemployment in April. Seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment fell by 143 to 43,359 a rate of 10.6%. The national rate is 4.8%.

Unadjusted claimant unemployment in Birmingham fell by 844 in April (unemployment tends to fall in April, hence the lower seasonally adjusted fall) to 48,110 or 11.9%. This is 2,129 down on a year ago. Long term (12 months or more) unemployment in the City is now 16,590, down 15 on a year ago while youth (16-24) unemployment is 12,255, 460 down on a year ago.

In Acocks Green unadjusted claimant unemployment fell by 45 in the month to 1,177, or 10.4%. This is up 25 on a year ago. Acocks Green has 364 long term unemployed and 309 youth claimants.

Total UK unemployment (rather than the claimant figures described above) is released for three month periods a month in arrears. In the three months to March it rose by 15,000 to 2.52m. The total number of people in employment fell by 43,000 to 29.7 million, although the number of vacancies was at its highest level since 2008.