UNEMPLOYMENT in Dudley has risen slightly between the eight months between September 2017 and April 2018 according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics this week.

Data on employment trends showed the claimant count increased by 440 to 6,184 pushing the unemployment rate in the borough up to 3.2 per cent.

The rise mirrored a national increase which saw 27,000 more people claiming benefits.

In the West Midlands those looking for work increased by almost 1,000 reaching 63,689 while only two of the seven metropolitan areas in the region saw small decreases.

In the Black Country, only Sandwell recorded a decrease with the claimant count falling by just 20 to 7,135.

Sandwell  Council leader, Cllr Steve Eling, said: “We work hard through job-linking local people to local employers as well as supporting businesses to bring in investment and create new jobs.

“Working with the top 50 fastest-growing companies in Sandwell has proved a huge success with the recent announcement of this year’s top 50.”

Dudley’s other Black Country neighbours fared no better with small increases in Wolverhampton and Walsall.