Black Country Chamber of Commerce responds to July labour market figures
13 Aug 2025
Published in: Black Country Chamber of Commerce News
The Black Country Chamber of Commerce has responded to the latest labour market figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), highlighting mixed signals for the region.
The local authority areas of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton saw 48,910 claimants in July, an increase of 160 since June.
This increase in claimant count comes against a national backdrop of decreasing job vacancies, which fell by 30,000 in the quarter to 889,000 – marking the 24th consecutive quarterly decline.
Sarah Moorhouse, Chief Executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said:
"While it's encouraging to see the employment rate for the wider West Midlands rising to 59.4% in the period March to May, that simply is not enough time to see the compounded effects of increased NICs and rising wage costs.
“With 160 more people claiming benefits across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, we're seeing that the national cooling in the labour market is having varied impacts locally, despite the overall regional improvement in employment.
"Our members are reporting significant challenges balancing rising labour costs with other business pressures. This is particularly acute in our manufacturing and engineering sectors, which are vital to the Black Country economy.”
The Chamber’s recent Quarterly Economic Survey revealed that businesses are also navigating increased costs of doing business and continuing uncertainty around trade conditions.
"What we're hearing from our members is that while they want to maintain their workforce and continue to offer competitive wages, the cumulative impact of various cost pressures is making this increasingly difficult," added Sarah.
"We urge the government to consider these sub-regional variations when developing economic policy and to ensure that support is targeted where it's most needed.
"I also want to encourage all local businesses to participate in the next Quarterly Economic Survey which launches next week. This is your opportunity to help us build a comprehensive picture of the Black Country economy and strengthen our voice when advocating for the region. The more businesses that contribute, the more effectively we can represent your needs to policymakers and secure the support our region requires."
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