Birmingham's youth unemployment crisis has been exposed by new data showing the city's parliamentary constituencies dominate the national list of areas with the highest proportion of young adults out of work. The top six constituencies in the UK for youth joblessness are all in Birmingham, with Erdington leading at 16.0%, followed by Perry Barr at 15.3%, and Yardley at 13.7%.
Constituency Breakdown
Other Birmingham constituencies also show high rates: Hall Green and Moseley at 13.5%, Hodge Hill and Solihull North at 13.4%, and Northfield at 13.3%. Lower rates were recorded in Edgbaston (9.5%), Ladywood (8.5%), Selly Oak (5.4%), and Sutton Coldfield (5.2%).
National Context
Nationally, 735,000 young people aged 16-24 are unemployed, an increase of 109,000 in the last year. The youth unemployment rate rose to just over 16% in February to April 2025, up from 14.3% the previous year. The figures are based on data from the House of Commons Library, tracking 18-24 year olds claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit with work-seeking requirements.
Political Reactions
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described unemployment in certain Birmingham areas as “absolutely shocking” and linked it to public order issues, saying, “There’s so much shoplifting, lots of people saying they don’t even want to have a business on the high street because people are coming in and stealing things. We need to take back our streets.”
New Birmingham City Council leader Roger Harmer, a Liberal Democrat, acknowledged the crisis but highlighted opportunities from investments like HS2 and the Sports Quarter. “The key thing is to link in our deprived communities where there is high unemployment and make sure people there feel like those opportunities are reachable to them and the training they need is provided for them,” he said. He warned against new jobs going to commuters from outside the city.
Mayor's Initiative
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker launched a youth employment plan in summer 2024, aiming to create 20,000 opportunities over three years. The plan includes pre-employment training in fast-growing sectors, dedicated work coach support, and fully-funded training. “We’re backing young people with the skills and opportunities they need to get started in an exciting career and set themselves up for life,” Parker said. “This is a win-win as we’re also helping local firms secure the vital talent they need to grow.”
Calls for Action
Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, urged the government to reduce the cost of employing young people and reform employment rules to support entry-level recruitment. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden attributed the rise to “ongoing instability in the Middle East causing uncertainty in our labour market” and pointed to the government's Youth Guarantee, backed by £2.5 billion investment, to create almost a million opportunities for young people.
The overall unemployment rate has fallen to 4.9% in February to April 2025, down from 5.2% in the previous quarter, but remains higher than the 4.6% rate a year ago.
