Welcome to the latest Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Economic Bulletin from the Economy, Skills and Insight Teams. This bulletin brings together the latest government data, national intelligence and local insights to help explain what is happening in the local economy.
This edition focuses on:
- Claimant Count and unemployment trends
- Youth unemployment
- Job vacancies
- Business insolvencies
- Support available for residents and businesses
We welcome feedback on future editions. Please email SkillsAnalysis@staffordshire.gov.uk with any comments or suggestions.
Darryl Eyers
Director for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills
Staffordshire County Council
View the full bulletin
Key Messages
Staffordshire has seen a small rise in the number of people claiming work related benefits, mainly because of higher youth unemployment. However, the overall claimant rate remains low compared with the West Midlands and England.
At the same time, job vacancies have levelled off. This reflects the ongoing economic challenges facing employers and residents.
We will continue to support residents into work and help businesses develop the skilled workforce needed to grow the local economy.
Claimant count
- There are now 15,100 work related benefit claimants in Staffordshire.
- This is 80 more people than a year ago, an increase of 0.5%.
- The claimant rate has risen from 2.7% to 2.8% of the working age population.
- Staffordshire's claimant rate remains one of the lowest in the West Midlands.
- The regional claimant rate is 5.3% and the England rate is 4.0%.
Youth unemployment
Youth unemployment remains a concern.
- There are 3,325 young people aged 18 to 24 claiming work related benefits.
- This is 305 more than a year ago, an increase of 10.1%.
- The youth claimant rate has risen from 4.8% to 5.3%.
- This remains lower than the England rate of 5.8% and the West Midlands rate of 8.1%.
We will continue to help young people move into employment, education and training.
Job vacancies
There were 13,100 job vacancies in Staffordshire in July 2026, a 7% increase compared with July 2025.
Key sectors with strong demand include:
- Health and social care
- Education
- Hospitality
- Logistics
- Retail and wholesale
- Business services
- Motor trades
- Engineering
- Early years and childcare
Employers continue to report skills shortages in some sectors. Helping people gain the skills needed for these roles remains a priority.
Future opportunities
There are growing opportunities in:
- Digital and ecommerce
- Construction and home retrofitting
- Electric vehicle manufacturing
- Advanced manufacturing
- Hydrogen technology
- AI, automation and machine learning
- Logistics and distribution
Major investments and developments continue to create jobs across the county, including projects linked to JCB, Pets at Home, Carlsberg Britvic and the West Midlands Freight Interchange.
Local support and initiatives
Residents and businesses can access a range of support programmes, including:
Business support
- Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Business Loan Fund
- Staffordshire Means Back to Business Scheme
- Get Started and Grow Scheme
- Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub support
- Staffordshire Business and Enterprise Network support for Net Zero
- Federation of Small Businesses one to one advice sessions
- Workplace Health Service support for employers
- Build and Scale programme for construction, maintenance and professional services businesses
Employment and skills support
- Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service
- Connect to Work programme
- Skills Bootcamps
- Staffordshire Jobs Brokerage Service
Recent investment announcements
- Indurent plans to invest £800 million in Staffordshire over the coming years.
- JCB has announced a £100 million investment in new manufacturing facilities in Rocester.
National context
Recent government announcements suggest further policy changes may be introduced later in the year, with more detail expected in the autumn.
The government has also confirmed local government reorganisation in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This will create two new unitary councils, one in the north and one in the south.
Economy and cost of living
UK economy
- The UK economy grew by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2026.
- This follows growth of 0.6% and 0.8% in earlier periods of the year.
Inflation and interest rates
- Inflation rose to 2.9% in July 2026.
- Rising fuel and gas prices have been a key factor.
- The Bank of England base rate remains at 3.75%.
- Average earnings increased by 3.5% excluding bonuses and 4.1% including bonuses.
Business conditions
Businesses continue to face challenges including:
- Higher interest rates
- Higher energy costs
- Increased wage costs
- Supply chain pressures
- Lower consumer demand
- Global uncertainty, including the impact of conflict in the Middle East
There were 2,069 company insolvencies in England and Wales in July 2026. While this was lower than the previous year, it remains well above levels seen three years ago.
Labour market
National labour market trends show:
- A small fall in the number of payrolled employees.
- Employment at 75.1%.
- Unemployment at 4.9%.
- Economic inactivity at 20.9%.
- A decline in UK job vacancies to around 707,000.
These trends suggest the labour market is becoming more competitive, making it harder for some people to find work.
Conclusion
Staffordshire's economy remains resilient despite ongoing national and global challenges.
Key priorities continue to be:
- Supporting residents into work.
- Helping young people access employment, education and training.
- Supporting businesses to survive, grow and invest.
- Addressing skills shortages and labour market gaps.
- Developing skills in priority sectors such as digital, green industries, advanced manufacturing, logistics, construction, and health and social care.
Partnership working, skills programmes, business support, and services such as the Jobs Brokerage Service and Connect to Work programme will remain important in helping residents and businesses succeed.
