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 rise in the number of people claiming work-related benefits, mainly because more young people are unemployed. While this is a concern, Staffordshire's claimant rate remains much lower than the regional and national averages.
At the same time, job vacancies remain available across the county, although growth in vacancies has slowed due to wider economic pressures.
We will continue to support residents into work and help local businesses grow through employment, skills and business support programmes.
Employment and Claimants
- There are now 15,350 work-related benefit claimants in Staffordshire.
- This is 335 more people than a year ago, an increase of 2.2%.
- The claimant rate has increased from 2.7% to 2.8% of the working-age population.
- Staffordshire continues to have one of the lowest claimant rates in the West Midlands.
- The county's claimant rate of 2.8% remains well below:
- The West Midlands average of 5.3%
- The England average of 4.0%
We will continue working with partners and through our Jobs Brokerage Service to help residents find work.
Youth Unemployment
The largest increase has been among young people aged 18 to 24.
- There are now 3,405 young claimants in Staffordshire.
- This is 360 more than a year ago.
- The youth claimant count has increased by 11.8%.
- Staffordshire's youth claimant rate is 5.4%, up from 4.9% last year.
Although youth unemployment has increased, Staffordshire remains below:
- The England rate of 6.0%
- The West Midlands rate of 8.4%
Supporting young people into employment, education and training remains a priority.
Job Vacancies and Skills Demand
There were 13,000 job vacancies in Staffordshire in August 2026, an increase of 8% compared with August 2025.
Stoke-on-Trent recorded 5,000 vacancies, up 2% over the year.
Many sectors continue to struggle to recruit people with the right skills.
Occupations in Demand
High demand continues for:
- Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) drivers
- Care workers
- Sales staff
- Cleaners and domestic workers
- Chefs
- Kitchen and catering assistants
- Warehouse operatives
- Forklift truck drivers
- Road transport drivers
- Teaching assistants
- Teachers and SEND specialists
- Retail managers
- Retail assistants
- Customer service staff
- Accountants
- Payroll and bookkeeping professionals
- Social workers
- Plant and machine operatives
- Early years and childcare practitioners
Skills shortages in these sectors can limit business growth and make recruitment more difficult.
Programmes such as Connect to Work and Skills Bootcamps help people gain the skills needed for these jobs.
Business Support and Growth
Staffordshire continues to support businesses facing challenges such as:
- High interest rates
- Higher energy costs
- Rising wage costs
- Increased commodity prices
- Lower consumer demand
Support available includes:
- Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Business Loan Fund
- Staffordshire Means Back to Business Scheme
- Staffordshire Growth Hub
- Start-up business support
- Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service
- Staffordshire Business and Enterprise Network (SBEN)
- Workplace Health Service support for employers
Recent Investment
Several major investments highlight confidence in Staffordshire's economy:
- Indurent plans to invest £800 million in industrial and logistics developments across the county.
- JCB is investing £100 million in advanced manufacturing facilities at its Rocester headquarters.
- The new Build and Scale Programme will support growth in construction, maintenance and professional services businesses.
- Major logistics and distribution investments continue to create new jobs across the county.
National Economic Picture
The UK economy grew by:
- 0.4% in July 2026
- 0.3% in June 2026
Growth was mainly driven by the service sector, including computer programming and AI-related activity.
However, economic growth is expected to slow due to international pressures, including uncertainty in global energy markets.
Cost of Living
- Inflation increased from 2.9% in July 2026 to 3.1% in August 2026.
- Rising fuel and transport costs were key factors.
- Interest rates remain at 3.75%, although future increases remain possible.
- Average regular earnings increased by 3.5% between May and July 2026.
Many households and businesses continue to face financial pressures.
UK Labour Market
Nationally:
- Employment remains broadly stable at 75.1%.
- Unemployment stands at 4.9%.
- The UK claimant count is 1.692 million.
- Job vacancies have fallen to 702,000.
- The number of payrolled employees has also declined.
This means competition for available jobs may increase.
Looking Ahead
Several factors will influence Staffordshire's economy over the coming months:
- The Government's Autumn Budget.
- The pause in local government reorganisation for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
- Ongoing discussions about devolution.
- Continued pressures from inflation and energy prices.
- Skills shortages in key sectors.
Despite these challenges, Staffordshire remains a resilient economy with opportunities in:
- Digital and AI-related industries
- Construction and retrofit projects
- Advanced manufacturing
- Logistics and e-commerce
- Health and social care
- Green technologies
- Automotive innovation, including electric vehicles
- Hydrogen technology
Continued investment in skills, training and business support will be important to help residents find work, support business growth and improve prosperity across Staffordshire.
