New data reveals that Birmingham accounts for the six parliamentary constituencies with the highest youth unemployment rates in the UK, with Erdington leading at 16% and Perry Barr at 15.3%. Yardley follows at 13.7%, highlighting a deepening crisis in the city.
National Context
Across the UK, 735,000 young people aged 16-24 are out of work, an increase of 109,000 year-on-year. The unemployment rate for this age group rose to just over 16% in February to April 2026, up from 14.3% the previous year.
Political Reactions
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described the figures as "absolutely shocking" and linked the issue to public order, stating: "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."
Birmingham Council leader Roger Harmer emphasised the need to connect deprived communities with investment opportunities. "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," he said.
Mayoral Initiative
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has launched a flagship plan targeting 20,000 youth opportunities over three years, offering pre-employment training and fully-funded support to address the crisis.
