The West Midlands has the second highest rate of unemployment in the country, according to newly published labour market figures.

The region's unemployment rate sat at 5.8 per cent among people aged 16 or over for the three months from April to June 2025.

Only the capital has a higher rate at six per cent while Northern Ireland can boast the lowest at 2.4 per cent.

The West Midlands has also seen the highest quarter-on-quarter increase in unemployment so far in 2025, showing an increase of 1.3 per cent.

In terms of people in employment aged 16 to 64, the region has a rate of 73.6 per cent, with the North East the lowest at 68.2 per cent and South West the highest at 80.2 per cent.

The data has been published by the Office for National Statistics.

Emily Stubbs, head of policy at Great

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