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# Exclusive: Birmingham constituencies suffering more economic hardship than anywhere else in the UK
- URL: https://www.birminghameastside.co.uk/exclusive-birmingham-constituencies-suffering-more-economic-hardship-than-anywhere-else-in-the-uk/
- Published: 2021-02-24T17:43:48.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-14T10:00:44.000Z
- Author: Miguel Roca
- Tags: Data, News, #Migrated-1786701253228, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-14 09:54

Birmingham has some of the UK's worst affected areas when it comes to unemployment and economic hardship, according to an exclusive new analysis by Birmingham Eastside.

The city of a thousand trades includes five of the top ten constituencies across the UK which have the highest number of people per capita claiming Universal Credit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/9b/639bf577-7ed7-44fe-8d64-ac66eaeee42e/content/images/2026/08/ubvjw-universal-credit-claimants-per-capita-top-ten-constituencies-br-1.png)

These figures include employed people on low wages as well as those who have been unemployed over the past year, and were previously seeking jobseeker's allowance prior to the roll-out of Universal Credit.

## Younger workers feeling the pinch

People aged 16-24 across Birmingham represent six of the largest groups claiming financial assistance per capita, with Hodge Hill having almost three times the national average.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/9b/639bf577-7ed7-44fe-8d64-ac66eaeee42e/content/images/2026/08/kst0n-top-ten-areas-with-universal-credit-claimants-br-aged-16-24-per-capita-1.png)

The news coincides with Boris Johnson's announcement that lockdown restrictions may be gradually eased between now and the 21st of June, subject to a satisfactory data analysis every five weeks.

More than a quarter of a million people are currently relying on unemployment benefits as the pandemic continues to batter the economy.