Revealed: Midlands towns and cities that have seen biggest rise in unemployment
Centre for Cities has published a regional analysis of the unemployment statistics released by the ONS.
They are the first indication of where the economy has taken the hardest hit since lockdown.
The figures show that Telford was the hardest hit place in the Midlands region, while Derby fared the best.
The ONS figures are to be expected, according to recruitment experts.
David Essam, operations director at Frontline Recruitment, said: “This is a big increase, but it could only be the tip of the iceberg.
“I can see this number rising throughout the remainder of the year as I believe businesses are only holding off making redundancies because of the Government’s furlough scheme, which, while welcome, won’t last forever.
“Companies in certain sectors are also holding off recruiting staff until they discover how the current crisis plays out. However, we are seeing growth in key sectors such as food and those operating in frontline industries who need keyworker staff.
“Realistically, though, we don’t expect to see a return to ‘normal’ until Q2 of next year.”
Below is the full data from Centre for Cities.
| Rank percentage point change | Percentage point change from March 2020 | April claimant count | Claimant count Rank Apr 2020 | Increase from March | CC in Apr 2020 | |
| Blackpool | 1 | 3.4 | 8.9 | 1 | 4,500 | 11650 |
| Liverpool | 2 | 2.9 | 7.6 | 4 | 12,345 | 32935 |
| Hull | 3 | 2.8 | 8.7 | 2 | 4,770 | 14645 |
| Belfast | 4 | 2.6 | 5.4 | 29 | 8,255 | 17110 |
| Manchester | 5 | 2.6 | 6.7 | 10 | 41,290 | 107835 |
| Doncaster | 6 | 2.6 | 6.6 | 12 | 4,950 | 12585 |
| Barnsley | 7 | 2.5 | 5.9 | 18 | 3,865 | 9045 |
| Sunderland | 8 | 2.5 | 7.6 | 5 | 4,315 | 13215 |
| Telford | 9 | 2.4 | 5.5 | 25 | 2,725 | 6155 |
| Newcastle | 10 | 2.4 | 7.1 | 9 | 13,440 | 39230 |
| Wigan | 11 | 2.4 | 6.3 | 14 | 4,915 | 12895 |
| Middlesbrough | 12 | 2.4 | 7.4 | 7 | 6,950 | 21600 |
| Portsmouth | 13 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 41 | 7,980 | 16590 |
| Birkenhead | 14 | 2.3 | 6.0 | 17 | 4,510 | 11640 |
| Glasgow | 15 | 2.3 | 6.2 | 15 | 15,995 | 42515 |
| Bradford | 16 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 6 | 7,580 | 24670 |
| Newport | 17 | 2.3 | 6.2 | 16 | 3,490 | 9520 |
| Plymouth | 18 | 2.3 | 5.8 | 19 | 3,760 | 9550 |
| Basildon | 19 | 2.3 | 5.4 | 30 | 2,605 | 6215 |
| Blackburn | 20 | 2.2 | 7.1 | 8 | 2,100 | 6630 |
| Birmingham | 21 | 2.2 | 8.0 | 3 | 35,650 | 126950 |
| Mansfield | 22 | 2.2 | 5.6 | 24 | 3,255 | 8150 |
| Burnley | 23 | 2.2 | 6.7 | 11 | 2,395 | 7335 |
| Brighton | 24 | 2.2 | 4.9 | 39 | 5,275 | 11990 |
| Southend | 25 | 2.1 | 5.1 | 38 | 4,620 | 10925 |
| Cardiff | 26 | 2.1 | 5.5 | 28 | 5,270 | 13495 |
| Slough | 27 | 2.1 | 5.1 | 37 | 2,010 | 4830 |
| Bournemouth | 28 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 46 | 5,055 | 11575 |
| Leeds | 29 | 2.1 | 5.6 | 23 | 10,795 | 28915 |
| Warrington | 30 | 2.1 | 4.6 | 50 | 2,710 | 5995 |
| Swansea | 31 | 2.1 | 5.5 | 27 | 5,070 | 13425 |
| Southampton | 32 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 47 | 5,215 | 12055 |
| Sheffield | 33 | 2.1 | 5.4 | 31 | 11,225 | 29270 |
| Crawley | 34 | 2.1 | 4.9 | 44 | 1,485 | 3515 |
| Swindon | 35 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 51 | 2,845 | 6330 |
| Dundee | 36 | 2.0 | 6.5 | 13 | 2,005 | 6440 |
| Leicester | 37 | 2.0 | 4.9 | 40 | 6,680 | 16140 |
| Chatham | 38 | 2.0 | 5.3 | 33 | 3,525 | 9325 |
| Huddersfield | 39 | 2.0 | 5.8 | 20 | 5,420 | 15645 |
| Wakefield | 40 | 2.0 | 5.2 | 35 | 4,255 | 11175 |
| Preston | 41 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 48 | 4,560 | 11030 |
| Gloucester | 42 | 2.0 | 4.8 | 45 | 1,595 | 3920 |
| Worthing | 43 | 1.9 | 4.5 | 52 | 1,275 | 2945 |
| London | 44 | 1.9 | 4.9 | 43 | 128,990 | 331040 |
| Stoke | 45 | 1.9 | 5.7 | 21 | 4,530 | 13825 |
| Ipswich | 46 | 1.9 | 5.7 | 22 | 1,610 | 4885 |
| Bristol | 47 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 55 | 9,245 | 20200 |
| York | 48 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 60 | 2,565 | 4385 |
| Edinburgh | 49 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 57 | 6,715 | 14000 |
| Luton | 50 | 1.8 | 5.2 | 36 | 2,430 | 6945 |
| Exeter | 51 | 1.8 | 3.5 | 58 | 1,615 | 3170 |
| Norwich | 52 | 1.8 | 4.3 | 53 | 3,025 | 7350 |
| Nottingham | 53 | 1.8 | 5.3 | 32 | 7,860 | 23695 |
| Northampton | 54 | 1.7 | 4.7 | 49 | 2,395 | 6610 |
| Peterborough | 55 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 26 | 2,100 | 6865 |
| Coventry | 56 | 1.7 | 4.9 | 42 | 4,145 | 12145 |
| Derby | 57 | 1.7 | 5.3 | 34 | 2,670 | 8545 |
| Aberdeen | 58 | 1.6 | 4.3 | 54 | 2,545 | 6710 |
| Milton Keynes | 59 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 56 | 2,235 | 6730 |
| Aldershot | 60 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 62 | 1,535 | 3165 |
| Reading | 61 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 59 | 2,720 | 6910 |
| Oxford | 62 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 61 | 1,165 | 3265 |
| Cambridge | 63 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 63 | 755 | 2180 |
| United Kingdom | 2.0 | 5.1 | 848,740 | 2117360 |
