In February seasonally adjusted unemployment fell again in Birmingham. The unadjusted figures rose, as this is a month when the figures tend to increase, as the Christmas effect unwinds further. Acocks Green saw a rise of 16 in the unadjusted count to 695. This is 302 lower than a year ago. The number of long term unemployed rose by 10 to 265 and the number of youth claimants fell by 10 to 135.

The seasonally adjusted figures in Birmingham are now back to the typical levels seen before the financial crash of 2008, standing at 6.3%. While much improved, this remains higher than the levels seen in the other major cities in England. Nottingham has the next highest figures. London and Bristol have the lowest levels – currently under 3%.