Chamber: East Midlands unemployment falls but government must do more to boost recruitment

The government’s Autumn Statement must prioritise skills investment to fill vacancies, says East Midlands Chamber, after unemployment in the region among over 16s fell from 4.8% to 4.4%.

The new data published by the Office for National Statistics is the third consecutive drop in East Midlands unemployment.

East Midlands Chamber Director of Policy and Insight Richard Blackmore said: “Falling unemployment in the East Midlands is encouraging to see, especially as the new figure is slightly lower than this time last year and accompanied by a slight reduction in economic inactivity and a rise in employment to 60.2%.  

“That said, at the start of 2023 unemployment was lower in East Midlands and the region still sits below the national picture.   Nearly seven out of ten East Midlands businesses told us in our Quarterly Economic Survey they’ve had difficulty recruiting staff in the last three months.

“With the Autumn Budget just weeks away, it’s essential the new government prioritises investment into skills, so we can get candidates that match the skills employers need and get more people into work.  Skills investment is one of six asks outlined in our Budget Submission to the UK Government that would enable economic growth in the East Midlands.”