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Businesses suffering a 'confidence hit' as costs soar
Birmingham Mail
|December 17, 2025
THE West Midlands has the third highest unemployment rate in the country, according to new figures.
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Businesses across the West Midlands are now less confident about hiring due to "sky-high" labour costs, business leaders said.
Though Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed unemployment across the West Midlands fell by 0.2 per cent in August to October, the region still has the third highest jobless rate in the UK.
Over the past 12 months, unemployment in the region has risen by 1.5 per cent - almost double the rate of the national average.
This story is from the December 17, 2025 edition of Birmingham Mail.
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