The district with the highest unemployment rate is Worcester City (4.9%) and the districts with the lowest unemployment rate are Bromsgrove and Malvern Hills, (2.8%). In terms of urban centres, Kidderminster had the highest unemployment rate at 5.5% and the lowest was in Wythall (2.0%). The largest numerical drops in unemployment from last month were in Worcester (120) and Redditch (107) but all the other districts were close behind. There was a decrease of 198 compared with a year ago but this masks rises in Worcester Wychavon and Wyre Forest but larger falls in the other three districts.
The male unemployment rate in Worcestershire is 4.7% (down by 0.3 % compared to January 2012), and the female rate was 2.8% down by just 0.1%.
As well as following the national and regional trend of a fall in overall claimant count, we also followed the trend with an increase in long-term unemployment. The proportion of claimants who have been in receipt of benefit for more than six months has increased by 2.4% to 41.1% between March and April 2012, and the proportion receiving benefits for more than 12 months has increased by 2.4% to 20.5% over the same period. This is now the highest proportion since November 2006 (when the information available goes back to) and is above the previous peak in July 2010, when the total number of claimants was approximately the same as now. Trying to make some sense of this in terms of numbers, claimants peaked in August 2009 at around 13,500, but claimants for more than six months (27% or 3,650 people) and 12 months (7% or 950 people) were lower. We are now looking at 41.1% over six months (4,425people) and 20.5% of claimants unemployed over 12 months (2,200 people).
There are no up to date figures on part-time working that would help compare with the national trend towards people working part-time because they are unable to get a full-time job but there is no reason to suppose that Worcestershire is any different in the regard.
In April 2012 3,145 people aged 18-24 were claiming JSA benefit compared to 3,450 in March and 3,200 April last year. Of the 3,145, 2,765 had been claiming for up to one year, which is 6.7% of the 18-24 population, a decrease of 0.7 % compared to March and the same as the England average. Of the ten wards in the county with the highest percentages it is Greenlands in Redditch that has the highest number of unemployed young people at 95 (14.6%) and Oldington and Foley park in Kidderminster is second, having been highest for a long time at 14,5% and 75 young people unemployed. The tenth placed ward is Offmore and Comberton at 11.7% and 50 people unemployed. Out of the ten, three are in Redditch, there are two each in Wyre Forest, Worcester and Bromsgrove and one in Malvern Hills. However, the numbers do vary from month to month as do the positions in the list as we are dealing with comparatively small numbers of people. The encouraging news is that the percentages are down on last month and to a lesser degree a year ago, and the overall percentage at 6.7% is lower than March (7.4%) and April 2011 (7.5%).
The number of vacancies available at Job Centres in the County were 5,664 in April 2012, which was 49% higher than in March.
There were quite a few press stories reported about firms taking on staff or sites being developed that potentially could result in new jobs. There were also some stories about threatened redundancies.
Plans to redevelop the former British Sugar factory site in Worcestershire could create more than 400 jobs. Developers St Francis Group has submitted plans to Wyre Forest District Council for the site on Stourport Road. They include 250 homes, a care home, a hotel, shops, restaurants, footpaths and cycle ways
A New Worcester business that provides care for older people in their own homes is looking to create 50 jobs in the coming year. Despite only opening its doors at the beginning of the year, Home Instead Senior Care at Malvern Gate in Bromwich Road is already embarking on a large-scale recruitment drive.
More jobs could be created at a Worcester factory after Heinz announced plans to increase production. The food manufacturer said it intended to expand production of Lea and Perrins sauces by nearly a third to 12,500 tonnes by the end of 2013. Conservative MP for Worcester Robin Walker said it was unclear how many jobs would be created, but that it was good news for the city.
Businesses across Worcestershire are being urged to take advantage of millions of pounds worth of fresh Government funding. A new cash kitty worth £125 million has been launched which aims to benefit manufacturers looking to fund supply chains for their work. Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said the pot, along with the already-established £1.4 billion Regional Growth Fund (RGF), gives county firms a good chance of securing welcome financial support.
Hundreds of workers are at risk of losing their jobs after a distribution firm announced plans for closure. Yodel could make 200 permanent members of staff redundant, while a number of agency workers also face losing their jobs. Some workers may consider relocating to other sites in the region.
Talks have begun to try to save 400 jobs following the proposed closure of a call centre in Worcester. On Wednesday the home shopping firm Shop Direct announced plans to shut its base on Newtown Road in the city. MP for Worcester Robin Walker said he was involved in talks to try to keep the jobs and that the closure was "not a done deal." The company plans to transfer 1,800 of its staff to services group Serco, which would manage customer contacts.
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