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Unemployment Statistics - December 2006

• The unadjusted unemployment total for Worcestershire was 6023 in December 2006.  This represents an increase of 99 claimants from the previous month.
• The Worcestershire unemployment rate is 2.2%. This is 0.1% higher than the previous month.
• The county rate (2.2%) still compares favourably with the unemployment rates for the West Midlands region (4.3%) and England and Wales (3.3%). Please note these rates are not comparable with ONS-produced figures.·Across the county, the Districts with the highest and lowest unemployment rates are Redditch (2.7%) and Malvern Hills (1.5%) respectively.
• There was an increase in the number of claimants’ in all of the districts except Redditch (-20). The largest increase was in Wyre Forest (+40)
• The male unemployment rate in Worcestershire stood at 2.8% in November 2006, compared to a female rate of 1.4%.
• In terms of urban centres, Kidderminster had the highest unemployment rate at 2.9%. The lowest unemployment rate was in Wythall (1.6%).

Table 1: Unadjusted Claimant Count Unemployment by Local Authority District

	Male	Female	Total	Rate*	Change on last month	Change on 12 months ago
Bromsgrove	543	211	754	1.7%	14	-109
Malvern Hills	358	152	510	1.5%	26	56
Redditch	812	318	1130	2.7%	-20	-245
Worcester	1028	348	1376	2.8%	36	198
Wychavon	708	339	1047	1.8%	3	52
Wyre Forest	860	346	1206	2.4%	40	12
WORCESTERSHIRE	4309	1714	6023	2.2%	99	-36

*The unemployment rates for Districts listed in the above table are calculated using 2001 Census projections of the economically active population.

Table 2: Unadjusted Claimant Count Unemployment by County, Region and Nation

*The unemployment rates for Districts listed in the above table are calculated using 2001 Census projections of the economically active population.

Table 3: Claimant Count Unemployment by Urban Centre

	Male	Female	Total	Rate*	Change on last month	Change on 12 months ago
Bewdley	38	20	58	2.2%	10	6
Bromsgrove	366	128	494	1.9%	20	-75
Droitwich	182	80	262	2.2%	2	15
Evesham	178	90	268	2.3%	15	17
Kidderminster	590	220	810	2.9%	22	20
Malvern	221	91	312	1.8%	19	46
Pershore	59	24	83	2.3%	-5	3
Redditch	775	304	1079	2.7%	-23	-243
Stourport-on-Severn	155	60	215	2.1%	-1	-19
Worcester	1028	348	1376	2.8%	36	198
Wythall	71	25	96	1.6%	-8	-16
Urban total	3663	1390	5053	2.5%	87	-48
As % of County total	85.0%	81.1%	83.9%

NB As the 2001 census ward boundaries used to build up to urban areas are not coterminus with the 1991 ward boundaries used in previous months to build up to urban areas the column change on 12 months ago has been removed. Change on last month will begin next month.
*Unemployment rates are expressed as a percentage of 2001 Census economically active populations,

Table 4: Claimant Count Unemployment by Travel to Work Areas

TTWA	Male	Female	Total	Rate*	Change on last month	Change on 12 months ago
Birmingham	36,138	11,920	48,058	4.4	135	2292
Dudley & Sandwell	8,904	2,916	11,820	4.1	57	800
Kidderminster	904	373	1,277	1.9	24	-8
Worcester	1,438	526	1,964	2.0	43	241
Evesham	381	205	586	1.5	15	52
Malvern	331	145	476	1.2	13	49

*Proportions for travel to work areas are calculated using the mid-2001 resident working age population

ONS-Produced Figures

Table 5: Unadjusted Claimant Count Unemployment by Local Authority District

	Male	Female	Total	Rate*	Change on last month	Change on 12 months ago
Bromsgrove	810	278	1,088	2.0	21	-118
Malvern Hills	358	152	510	1.2	18	57
Redditch	812	318	1,130	2.2	-20	-245
Worcester	1,028	348	1,376	2.3	36	198
Wychavon	708	339	1,047	1.5	3	55
Wyre Forest	860	346	1,206	2.0	40	9
WORCESTERSHIRE	4,576	1,781	6,357	1.9	98	-44

*The unemployment rates for Districts listed in the above table express the number of claimants resident in an area as a percentage of the working age population resident in that area. Figures are derived from the mid-2004 population estimates/

Table 6: Unadjusted Claimant Count Unemployment by County, Region and Nation (ONS)

	Male	Female	Total	Change on last month	Change on 12 months ago
Worcestershire	4,576	1,781	6,357	98	-44
rate*	2.6	1.1	1.9	0.0	0.0
West Midlands region	80,161	27,347	107,508	1,133	7,763
rate*	4.7	1.7	3.3	0.1	0.2
United Kingdom	681,719	241,741	923,460	1,391	48,125
rate*	3.5	1.3	2.5	0.0	0.1

*The unemployment rates for Districts listed in the above table express the number of claimants resident in an area as a percentage of the working age population resident in that area. Figures are derived from the mid-2004 population estimates.