Birmingham Tracks Employment and Earnings Shifts Through 2025 Data

Greater Birmingham contributed an estimated £66.2bn in Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2023, with Birmingham city itself recording the strongest growth at 2.7% real GVA rise. Downtown Birmingham experienced a 1.8% overall employment increase in the first half of 2025 compared to the prior year.

Employment and Office Trends

Downtown Birmingham experienced a 1.8% overall employment increase in the first half of 2025 compared to the prior year, alongside rising office occupancy reaching 78% in Q3-Q4 2025. Local services collect these figures to assess conditions in the central area. The data come from ongoing monitoring by organisations including the Office for National Statistics and downtown business groups.

Earnings and Unemployment Figures

Average regular earnings in Birmingham rose by 4.8% between May and July 2025, while the unemployment rate for working-aged people in Greater Birmingham was 5.7% as of June 2025. These updates help local decision makers review workforce conditions without relying on older national averages. The service sector accounts for 88% of employment across the registered enterprises.

Business Landscape Details

72,620 enterprises were registered in Greater Birmingham in 2024, reflecting a diverse business landscape dominated by the service sector which accounts for 88% of employment. Birmingham remains the largest city economy in the UK outside London, with economic output standing at £35.4bn in 2022, though GDP per head (£30,552) is below the national average. Local authorities and chambers use these counts to inform planning for business support programmes.

Regional reviews continue to draw on these verified indicators to guide services and decisions. Residents and businesses can access the latest updates through public economic reports published by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and Birmingham City Council.