West Midlands State of the Region 2024-2025

Demographics and communities

Why is this important?

The WMCA area is young and highly ethnically diverse, with almost half of the
population from an ethnic minority. Understanding how our demographics and
communities are changing is essential for strategic planning.

What are the current conditions?

Population

The population of WMCA continues to grow. In mid-2023 the estimated
population of the WMCA area was 2,980,936; a 1.1% increase from 2,948,513 in
mid-2022. Across the WMCA area, Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Walsall and
Wolverhampton had a greater number of births compared to deaths. However,
Dudley and Solihull had a greater number of deaths than births.

Age

The median age in the WMCA area in mid-year 2023 was 36.6 years, with the
youngest median age seen in Birmingham at 34.0 years and the oldest median age
seen in Solihull at 42.8 years. The median age in the WMCA is 3.8 years younger
than nationally.

33.8% of the population in the WMCA area is under the age of 25 and 23.8% are
aged under the age of 18, similar to the same time last year.
People of an ethnic minority group in the WMCA area are, on average, younger
than people of a White ethnic group in the West Midlands. Of the under-24
population, 50.7% are from an ethnic minority group and 49.3% from a White
ethnic group. In contrast, of the 65+ population, 15.8% are from an ethnic minority
group and 84.2% from a White ethnic group.

Ethnicity

The WMCA area is the second-most ethnically diverse area in the country (after
London) with 55.8% of the population in the WMCA area identifying as White
British, compared to 71.4% nationally.

This report uses the term ‘ethnic minority.’ However, we acknowledge and
recognise that such terms do not fully capture the diverse experiences and
cultures of our different communities, nor does it capture the inequality that some
minority white communities face. This report sets out to be as specific as possible
about communities as data and evidence allows. The latest demographic data was
published as part of the 2021 census.

Within the WMCA area, Dudley has the lowest percentage of people from an
ethnic minority group, at 17.6%, and Birmingham has the highest, becoming one of
the first ‘super diverse’ cities in the UK where ethnic minority groups make up the
majority of the population, at 57.1%.

Disability

Definition: People whose day-to-day activities are limited by long-term physical
or mental health conditions or illnesses are considered disabled. 19.1% of people
in the WMCA area are disabled. This is higher than the England national average
of 17.7%.4 Of those with a disability, 74.7% are White, 14.6% are Asian, 5.3% are
Black, 3.3% are Mixed and 2.1% are from an Other ethnic group. In the WMCA
area, a greater proportion of disabled people have a White ethnicity than the
proportion of White people in the general population. Conversely, all ethnic
minority groups show a lower proportion of disabled people than the general
population. This is because the average age for people from a White ethnic
group is higher than the average age for people from an ethnic minority group –
disability prevalence increases with age. 34.8% of disabled people in the WMCA
area are aged 65+; compared to 7.5% of people aged 15 or under.

Gender and gender identity

51% of people in the WMCA area are women and 49% are men.
Roughly one in 400 people identify as transgender or nonbinary. In the WMCA
area, 93.1% of the population have a gender identity that is the same as their sex
that was registered at birth. This falls closely in line with the England national
average of 93.5%. Note that it is important to consider the high likelihood that
not all LGBT+ people will have disclosed this to their cohabitants and cohabitants
may also be unwilling to disclose this in some instances.

Sexual orientation

Of those that declared a sexuality in the 2021 census, 97.1% identified as straight
or heterosexual, and 2.9% identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or other minority
sexual orientation, in the WMCA area. 8.1% did not declare an orientation. This
is similar to the England figure of 96.6% and 3.4% respectively. It is important to
consider the high likelihood that not all LGBT+ people will have disclosed this to
their cohabitants and cohabitants may also be unwilling to disclose this in some
instances.

Languages

88.1% of people in the WMCA area speak English as a first language. This is lower
than the national average of 90.8%.
The top ten languages spoken other than English in the WMCA area are Punjabi, Polish, Urdu, Bengali, Arabic, Gujarati, Kurdish, Pakistani Pahari, Persian or Fasi, and Tamil.

Religion

66.4% of people in the WMCA area connected to or identified a religious
affiliation in the 2021 Census. This is the highest of any combined authority area.

The top religions in the WMCA area are: Christian (40.7%); Muslim (17.2%); Sikh
(5.1%); and Hindu (2.3%). 27.9% described themselves as “no religion” – while this
is an increase of 7.6 percentage points, it is the lowest proportion of people with
“no religion” in any combined authority area.

The highest proportion of people reporting Sikh as their religion across all local
authorities in England were Wolverhampton (12%) and Sandwell (11.5%). Of those
with a Christian faith, the greatest proportion are of White ethnicity (81.0%)
and the lowest proportion are of Other ethnicity (1.0%). Of those with a Muslim
faith, the greatest proportion are of an Asian ethnicity (74.8%) and the lowest
proportion are of a White ethnicity (2.0%). Of those with a Christian faith the
greatest proportion (26%) was people aged 65+, with the lowest (8.6%) aged 16
to 24. This is likely due to a greater proportion of people with a Christian faith
having a White ethnicity coupled with the White ethnicity having an older median
age. Conversely, of those with a Muslim faith the greatest proportion (32.9%) were
aged 15 and under, with the lowest (4.3%) aged 65+. This is likely due to a greater
proportion of people with a Muslim faith being ethnic minorities coupled with
ethnic minorities having a younger median age.

Deprivation

The English Indices of Deprivation (2019) provide a set of relative measures of
deprivation for small neighbourhood areas. It is based on seven different domains
of deprivation: income, employment, education/skills/training; health & disability;
crime; barriers to housing and services; and living environment.

28% of the West Midlands Combined Authority population are living in England’s
top 10% most deprived areas.

35% of children (aged 0-15 years) in the WMCA area are living in England’s top
10% most deprived areas.

There are areas of high levels of deprivation across the WMCA. This includes
Stockland Green, Lozells & East Handsworth and Shard End in Birmingham.
Foleshill, Sowe Valley and Hillfields in Coventry. Kates Hill, Netherton and Brierley
Hill in Dudley. West Bromwich, Smethwick and Tipton in Sandwell. Chelmsley
Wood, Kingshurts and Smith’s Wood in Solihull. Blakenall, Darlaston and Bloxwich
in Walsall and Heath Town, Low Hill and Bilston East in Wolverhampton. With high
levels of deprivation seen specifically across East Birmingham and North Solihull.
In response to these challenges, the WMCA has identified specific growth zones
aimed at stimulating economic development and addressing deprivation. One
prominent initiative is the East Birmingham-North Solihull (EBNS) Levelling Up
Zone. This zone connects key economic hubs, including the HS2 stations at
Curzon Street in Birmingham City Centre and the Interchange station at Arden
Cross, as well as the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Birmingham Airport.
The EBNS area is home to approximately 375,000 residents and exhibits some
of the highest concentrations of deprivation in the country, with 72% of its
wards ranking in the top 10% most deprived nationally. The establishment of the
EBNS Levelling Up Zone aims to unlock public and private investment, fostering
economic growth and creating opportunities for local communities. By focusing
on these growth zones, the WMCA seeks to tackle the root causes of deprivation,
promoting inclusive economic development and improving the quality of life for
residents across the region.

 

Climate and environment

Why is this important?

Our climate and environment are under immense pressure due to climate change
and the overuse of the planet’s natural resources. Addressing these challenges is
critical for creating a thriving planet, which is essential for a flourishing society
and a prosperous economy. To achieve this, we must transform our social and
economic systems to operate within the planet’s limits while building resilience to
the risks, uncertainties, and threats posed by climate change.

Continuous economic growth is not sustainable if it comes at the cost of depleting
natural resources faster than the Earth can renew them. Instead, we must prioritize
a model of Inclusive Growth that values quality, equity, and sustainability, ensuring
the benefits of progress are shared across all communities while protecting
ecosystems for future generations.

What are the current conditions?

State of Nature

Nature needs space to live and flourish, but around the globe we humans have
decreased and diminished those spaces. This is especially the case in the UK.

There are substantial negative consequences of living in a nature-depleted
country. These include impacts on human health, and direct costs associated with
adaptation to lost and damaged ecosystem services.

Carbon dioxide emissions
The WMCA area has experienced a consistent reduction in CO₂ emissions per
capita from 2013 to 2022, reflecting significant progress in lowering carbon
emissions.

While all areas in the WMCA follow a downward trend in emissions, Solihull
consistently has the highest emissions, although the presence of Birmingham
International Airport is a major factor in elevated levels of transport emissions in
Solihull. The differences in CO2 emissions between Solihull and the other local
authorities appear to grow in percentage terms over time, despite the overall
convergence toward lower emissions levels across the region.

CO2 emission estimates per business in kilo tonnes

In the West Midlands from 2018 to 2022. Emissions increased from 6.9 kilo
tonnes in 2018 to a peak of 8.1 kilo tonnes in 2020, likely due to increased
industrial activity. A decline to 7.5 kilo tonnes in 2021 may reflect the economic
slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2022, emissions rose again
to 7.9 kilo tonnes, indicating a rebound in activity. This trend highlights the
need for sustainable business practices to address rising emissions and mitigate
environmental impacts.

Emissions per business have decreased across all local constituents in the WMCA
area since 2018. Sandwell had the highest emissions per business in 2018,
exceeding 0.16 kilo tonnes, but saw a decline by 2022. In contrast, Birmingham
and Coventry had relatively lower emissions, starting at around 0.12–0.14 kilo
tonnes in 2018 and gradually reducing over time. Other local authorities, including
Dudley, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton, followed a similar downward trend,
with emissions decreasing by varying degrees. This overall decline highlights
progress made in reducing carbon footprints at a local level.

Domestic emissions

Between 2018 and 2022, Carbon dioxide emissions from domestic/household
operations in the WMCA and England showed a general downward trend. In 2018
and 2019, England recorded emissions of 1.4 tonnes per capita, while the West
Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) had slightly lower emissions at 1.3 tonnes
per capita. In 2020, both areas saw a slight decline, with England at 1.3 tonnes and
WMCA at 1.2 tonnes. Emissions briefly increased in 2021 before dropping again in
2022, with England at 1.2 tonnes and WMCA at 1.1 tonnes. This suggests that the
WMCA has made more consistent progress in reducing domestic CO2 emissions
compared to the England average.

Transport

There are differences between local authorities in Carbon dioxide emissions due
to transport. Solihull consistently records the highest Carbon dioxide emissions
for transport with emissions nearly 70-150% higher than the other areas. This
is due to the presence of Birmingham International Airport which sits within
the local authority of Solihull. In contrast, the other local authorities, including
Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton,
maintain lower emissions, of between 1.2 and 1.8 tonnes between 2018 and 2022.
Most local authorities experienced a minor drop in 2020, possibly due to reduced
transportation activity during the pandemic, followed by stabilization or slight
recovery in subsequent years.

Public EV charging points

The WMCA has seen a further increase in the number of public EV charging points
in the past few years, to 5,520 charging points in June 2024.

Coventry has shown a rapid increase in the number of public EV charging points
between January 2022 to June 2024, increasing by 300% from approximately
500 to 2,000 charging points. Birmingham follows with a 100% rise, rising from
around 300 to just over 600. The number of public EV charging points in Dudley,
Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton remained stable but is steadily
increasing.

Household waste

Within the WMCA area, tonnes of household waste per 1,000 households
have seen a slight decline between 2013/14 and 2022/23. There are also slight
differences in the amount of household waste per 1,000 households across the
local authorities.

Overall, the levels of waste remain relatively stable over the period, fluctuating
around 1,000 tonnes per 1,000 households, with no substantial year-on-year
reductions or increases. Variations between local authorities are minimal,
indicating a consistent pattern across the region. The WMCA average closely
follows the individual authority data, reinforcing the overall stability of waste
levels across the region. However, there is no clear evidence of significant waste
reduction efforts leading to long-term declines in household waste production.

What can be, and is being done?

The WMCA region has a Net Zero target of 2041, with the WM2041 strategy
broken down into a series of Five Year Plans, with the most current plan running
from 2021-2026. The plan sets out the changes required in terms of decarbonising
the region’s homes, commercial operations, industry and transport.

To tackle the climate emergency and ecological crisis, as well as other
environmental issues, the WMCA is working to create a better environment in
the West Midlands for people and nature. To improve the critical issue of nature
degradation and improve people’s access to green space and nature, the WMCA
produced the West Midlands Natural Environment Plan. Since the publication
of the Plan in 2021, the WMCA has taken on the statutory responsibility to
develop the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which is a spatial strategy for nature
and environmental improvement, setting out the region’s priorities for nature’s
recovery, as well as mapping areas of nature that need protecting and improving.

The West Midlands Forest Partnership has been established to coordinate tree
planting across the region, contributing to an overall stock take of tree planting
numbers captured on the Virtual Forest website. The WMCA has secured £1
million of funding from central government for the Local Investment in Natural
Capital programme (LINC). The LINC programme is building the capacity and
capability of local leaders and partners to attract finance at scale to fund projects
that will protect, restore and enhance the region’s natural environment.

As the climate continues to change, the West Midlands is projected to experience
changing weather patterns including, warmer, wetter winters, hotter, drier
summers and more extreme weather events. The WMCA is working to establish
the risks to the region, publishing a Summary of Climate Impacts in 2022, an
Economic Impact Assessment, and developing Climate Risk and Vulnerability
mapping, which can be found on the Net Zero and Environment data dashboard.
As well as increasing understanding of the climate impacts on the region, this
work is also seeking to improve resilience across the region, such as through the
promotion of nature-based solutions. The WMCA is working with the University
of Birmingham through the WM-Adapt programme, funded through the Natural
Environment Research Council, to work with regional partners and communities to
better coordinate our approach to climate adaptation.

The WMCA is also working to establish a circular economy in the region,
publishing a Circular Economy Routemap in 2021. The route map set out a plan
to shift the West Midlands from a linear economy, where products and materials
are made, used and then thrown away, to an economy where products and
materials are reused and repurposed, to avoid waste and save money. As part
of this, the WMCA has created the West Midlands Resource Reuse Network,
a regional facilitated programme that will encourage and enable the sharing
of waste and resources across the region, with a particular focus on sand,
wastewater, and metals. The WMCA has also provided £100,000 of funding, as
part of the Community Environment Fund, for the establishment of a Reuse Hub
in Wolverhampton. The Reuse Hub is providing a facility where local people are
able to buy surplus bricks, tiles, flooring and other building supplies which would
have otherwise been thrown away at construction sites, builders’ merchants and
wholesalers.

Up to 2,300 people die prematurely due to long term exposure to air pollution
every year in the West Midlands and the WMCA is working with partners to
ensure cleaner air in the region. In November 2023, the WMCA published the Air
Quality Framework, outlining a number of key regional actions required to improve
air quality. Alongside the Air Quality Framework, the WMCA has secured funding
from central government to run a series of behaviour change and engagement
campaigns to support people living in the West Midlands, as well as policymakers,
with advice on how to improve air quality. The funding has been used to roll out a
region-wide sensor network to monitor air pollution across the West Midlands and
a website to present key information.

In order to achieve the environmental and climate goals outlined above, it is
critical that the public are brought along on the journey. The WMCA established
the Greener Together Citizens’ Panel, bringing together 30 residents from across
the region to deliberate and provide actions for the WMCA to take on areas such
as transport, climate adaptation and air quality. Behaviour change cuts across all
of the environment programme area, with the WMCA’s Environment Behaviour
Change plan published in 2024 to outline the scale and scope of this work.

 

Inclusive economy

Why is this important?

An inclusive economy is one in which everyone has a part to play. The economy
is productive and sustainable, and everyone benefits from it. This contrasts with
an economy where a small group of people benefit first, and where wealth is then
redistributed later or trickled down.

What are the current conditions?

From 2021 to 2022 (latest data), the WMCA economy grew in real terms by 3.2%
(Gross Domestic Product [GDP]) or 3.3% (Gross Value Added [GVA]). However,
the economy remained smaller than it was before the pandemic (GDP: -0.9%,
GVA: -1.1%). GDP growth varied across the region from 0.9% in Sandwell to 5.9%
in Wolverhampton, reflecting continued pandemic recovery during 2022. While
strong growth in 2022 pushed Birmingham, Dudley, and Wolverhampton past
their pre-pandemic sizes, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall, continued to
lag behind 2019 figures. When looking at growth per person across the region,
Coventry saw no growth in 2022, while Birmingham and Wolverhampton grew by
4.0% and 4.6% growth respectively. Nevertheless, Solihull remained the richest
part of our region with per capita GDP of £48,712 in 2022.

In comparison to GDP, Gross disposable household income (GDHI) per capita is a
stronger reflection of money earned in the area that stays in the area. GDHI per
capita in 2022 was £17,464 in the WMCA area.

Real GDHI measures the amount of money households have available for spending
and saving after accounting for taxes and social contributions. GDHI reflects the
economic wellbeing of households by indicating their real purchasing power.
Across the area, real GDHI per capita has grown slowly over the past 25 years. However, compared to the UK average, it has fallen across all local authority areas
over the same period.

Gross Value Added (GVA) per job is a measure of productivity. Rising total GVA
but falling hourly rates, suggests that the people of the WMCA area worked more
hours in 2022 than 2021 but with reduced productivity.

GVA per hour worked surpassed the 2019 rate by 0.3% in 2022, but fell 1.1% on
the year since 2021. GVA per job returned exactly to pre-pandemic levels in 2022
(difference: 0.0%). This was a 4.0% increase since 2021. While it remains below
the 2017 peak for our region, this growth post-pandemic suggests the WMCA
area is returning to its long-term positive growth trajectory. Whilst the WMCA’s
GVA per job was the same in 2022 as 2019 when adjusting for inflation, Greater
Manchester Combined Authority’s has increased by 7.0%, whilst Greater London
Authority’s has fallen by 4.1%, highlighting the varied pandemic recovery across
the economy.

Median weekly pay for full time workers stood at £673 in the WMCA area in
2024, 8.1% below the England average of £732. Real median weekly pay for full
time workers has returned to its pre-financial crisis peak in the WMCA area, while
remaining slightly below on average across England. However, we know there are
differences in pay for people from an ethnic minority and for women and disabled
employees.

94.7% of all working age people (16- to 64-year-olds) employed in in the West
Midlands region in 2022 were in permanent employment. This was 0.3
percentage points higher than 2022. Figures vary little year to year but there
are more significant differences between regions. The London region, for
example, has a percentage of the working age population employed in permanent
employment regularly 1-2% lower than the West Midlands region. As a region, the
West Midlands has a marginally higher rate of working age people employed than
the British average.

Employment in the WMCA area in the year to June 2024 was at 69.6%,
representing little movement since the year to June 2023 (69.8%).

This rate remains well below the West Midlands region (74.7%) and the England
average (75.7%). While a gap remains between the WMCA area and the England
average, this gap has been closing over the past eight years with the gap now
standing at 6.1% compared to 9.5% during 2016. With a UK Government target of
80% employment, the Government could make large strides towards this goal by
focussing on regions such as the WMCA area.

Economic inactivity in the WMCA area has risen and fallen over the past 20
years. It was at 26.1% in the year to June 2024 – finishing the 20-year period 0.7
percentage points below where it started. This was up from 25.2% in the year to
June 2023 but remains significantly below a peak of 29.9% in 2011.

This was significantly above the regional average (22.3%) and the England average
(21.3%). Of those economically inactive in the WMCA area, 81.1% do not want a
job; 5.6% are retired, 31.7% are long-term sick, 24.6% are looking after family
or a home, and 28.7% are students (other: 7.8%, temporary sick: 1.2%). We also
know there are differences in economic inactivity rates across different ethnic
groups. However, there is limited data for economic inactivity rates at a WMCA
area geography broken down by ethnicity which makes evidence based decision
making difficult.

16.0% of households in the WMCA area were workless in 2023, varying from
9.6% in Dudley to 19.5% in Birmingham. Of the 11 combined authority areas, the
WMCA area had the 6th highest rate of workless households. Rates varied from
9.7% in West of England in 2023 to 18.9% in the Liverpool City Region.

The total number of people claiming unemployment benefits as a proportion of
residents aged 16-64 in the WMCA area was 8.1% compared to 4.2% for the UK
in October 2024. Across the Combined Authorities, the WMCA had the highest
claimant rates. When compared to October 2023, there has been a 1.4 percentage
point increase in the number of claimants, this is an increase of 26,135 people.

This is also a greater increase than the 0.6 percentage point increase seen in
England.

The number of youth claimants as a proportion of residents aged 18-24 was 9.5%
compared to 5.4% for the UK in October 2024. As with total claimant count, the
WMCA had the highest rates across the Combined Authorities. When compared
to October 2023, youth claimants have increased by 13.5% in the WMCA
area, with the UK increasing by 9.6%. When compared to October 2019, youth
claimants have increased by 48.0% in the WMCA area, with the UK increasing by
33.2%. In 2023, 55.4% of job adverts in the WMCA area could have been filled by
local people (meeting all criteria in the advert’s person specification). Compared
with other areas, the WMCA area placed 13th out of 37 UK areas.

Latest business demography figures confirm a mixed picture in the regional
business landscape. In 2023, the WMCA area recorded 106,200 active
enterprises, a 1.1% decrease from 2022, less than the England decline of 1.9%.
And compared to 2018, active enterprises rose by 3.3%, outpacing the UK’s 1.0%
growth. On the other hand, high-growth enterprises in the WMCA area have
increased by 11.6% since 2022, but trailed behind the England growth of 19.7%. Since 2018, high-growth enterprises in the WMCA have declined by 15.4%,
significantly more than the England decrease of 1.3%, highlighting regional
challenges in fostering business growth.

When looking at the long-term trend of high-growth enterprises, it is clear that
other comparable city-regions have also seen a decline in the number of highgrowth
enterprises as a proportion of total enterprises, but have rebounded faster
than the WMCA area in 2022 and 2023.

In positive news, the region has continued to increase its exports in the year to
June 2024 over 2023 – reaching a new record. The regional export of goods in
the year to June 2024 grew by 3.9% in real terms over the year to June 2023.30
Even more positively for the region, this compares to an England average of -6.4%
and UK of -8.6%.

Further to this, new statistics from the Department for Business and Trade
provided at the combined authority level showed that in 2023/24, inward
investment projects in the WMCA area totalled 70, creating 6,082 jobs.

This was significantly higher than other combined authority areas outside London.
For Greater Manchester it was 61 and 3,493, for Liverpool 30 and 561, and for the
West of England it was 38 and 1,342.

Social Economy is a collective term for all ‘not for personal profit’ organisations
that exist to improve disadvantaged communities, support disadvantaged people,
and address social or environmental issues but do so using a trading (business)
model to generate the majority or all the funds they need. In 2024, there were
approximately 9,300 social economy organisations in operation in the WMCA
area, directly providing over 100,000 jobs.

The number of new businesses registered in 2024 was 857. This is slightly lower
than a peak of 961 in 2023 but remains high compared to historic standards.

What can be, and is being done?

The WMCA is committed to delivering an integrated, impactful and longterm
approach to local economic development and inclusive growth; one that
empowers residents, especially our young people and those most disadvantaged,
to develop their technical, vocational and transferable skills that lead to good jobs.
The WMCA is in the midst of preparing a local growth plan, part of the UK
Government’s growth mission. The local growth plan builds on the existing
Plan for Growth, which ensures continuity and stability in policy for our region’s
businesses. The WMCA has secured commitment from the Chancellor of the
Exchequer to fund the region’s innovation accelerator programme through 2025-
26.

The WMCA has also successfully secured a new investment zone for the region.
The West Midlands Investment Zone will draw on an unprecedented range of
tools to support growth in the region’s Advanced Manufacturing sector – broadly
defined to encompass electric vehicle and battery technology, green industries,
health-tech and the critical underpinning digital platforms. These sub-sectors
intersect and overlap, creating a fertile ecosystem for new investors to land in
the region and flourish, creating new jobs and skills opportunities for all our
communities and securing the West Midlands’ position as a key driver of national
economic success.

Through a streamlined funding structure for Adult Skills, encompassing the Adult
Education Budget, Free Courses for Jobs, and Skills Bootcamps, The WMCA aims
to align investments across employment, skills, communities and health. Our
ambition is to establish an integrated employment and skills ecosystem that
stimulates economic growth and delivers better outcomes for residents and
businesses.

Growth for everyone cannot be achieved if inequality continues at its current
record levels. The Social Economy provides a resource that can help address
inequality and support inclusive growth. The Social Economy suffers from decades
of underinvestment and so WMCA is committed to grow and strengthen this
sector by creating an ecosystem that will support growth. The Social Economy
comprises over 9,000 organisations (businesses) who employ over 102,000
people and exist to tackle inequality in its various forms through a trading model.
Key investments by the WMCA to date have included building business skills
through a dedicated learning program, strategic investments in 9 locations
across the region where there is high levels of deprivation but evidence of
social economy activity, raising awareness of the contribution and impact these
organisations have through the Social Economy Drive and providing a small grant
pot to pilot some RnD investment.

 

Power and participation

Why is this important?

Power and participation are about people having a voice in influencing the
things that matter to them. People who have power over their own personal
circumstances can shape the places that they live and spend time in.

Those who feel that they actively participate and shape the places in which they
live and work, will feel a greater sense of belonging.
What are the current conditions?
In the West Midlands region, the belief among our residents that they can
influence decisions affecting their local area is low. A key concern is voter turnout
at elections which is lower across the region than the national average for both
local and general elections.

Volunteering

51% of WMCA area residents volunteered at least once in the past 12 months,
this compared to 54% in England. Volunteering rates also varied between local
authorities from 55% in Solihull to 46% in Wolverhampton.

Formal volunteering refers to those who have given unpaid help to groups or
clubs for example, leading a group, providing administrative support or mentoring
people. Whereas informal volunteering is defined as giving unpaid help to
individuals who are not a relative, for example helping with household tasks or
keeping in touch with someone who has difficulty getting out and about. A greater
proportion of WMCA residents volunteer informally compared to formally. 23%
of WMCA residents volunteered formally at least once in the past 12 months,
compared to 44% of residents who volunteered informally at least once in the past
12 months.

Satisfaction with local area

62% of residents in the WMCA area are satisfied with their local area as a place
to live between 2023-24. This is lower than the wider West Midlands figure
of 70% and lower than the figure for England of 74%. However, satisfaction
with green and natural spaces in the local area was slightly higher with 64% of
residents in the WMCA satisfied with green and natural spaces in their local area.
60% of WMCA residents have very or fairly strong feelings of belonging to their
immediate neighbourhood. This varies from 66% of residents in Walsall to 56% of
residents in Coventry. The WMCA figure is also slightly below the England figure
of 60%.

89% of people in the WMCA area agree that if they wanted company or to
socialise there are people they can call on. This is below the England figure of
92% and the wider West Midlands region figure of 91%. This also varies across
the WMCA area from 84% in Wolverhampton to 93% in Walsall. 29% of WMCA
residents would like to be more involved in local decisions, this varies across the
WMCA area from 24% in Wolverhampton to 31% in Coventry. The WMCA figure is
slightly higher than the England figure of 28%.

Voting

Less than one-third of eligible voters in the WMCA area exercised their
democratic right to vote in local elections. Turnout in local council elections in
2023 (latest data) fell slightly on the previous year, remaining relatively low as it
has done for the last decade.

Whilst participation in local council elections is low across the UK, every part
of the WMCA area continues to see lower turnout than the national average of
32.0%. Similarly, turnout across the WMCA area for the mayoral election in
2024 was at 29.8%, down from 31.2% in 2021 but up from the inaugural election
in 2017 at 26.7%. While broadly in line with the rest of the UK, voter turnout is
a sign of the vitality of democracy, and the low turnout may reflect voter apathy
and mistrust of the political process. In 2023/24, only 25% of residents in the
WMCA area region agreed that they personally can influence decisions affecting
their local area. This is similar to the UK average of 23% which was down
significantly from 27% from 2020/21.

The picture improves somewhat for general elections, with over 60% of eligible
voters in the WMCA area showing up on polling day in elections from 2010 to
2019. However, participation dipped in 2024 with a voter turnout of only 52.4%.
This was below the national average of 59.7% in 2024 and continues the trend
of lower-than-average turnout at national elections (WMCA area compared to
national).

Election turnout in the region varied from 22.8% in Sandwell to 30.1% in Solihull in
2023.

Turnout is typically higher in national elections – however the WMCA area average
is below that of the UK average.

A quarter of residents feel they can personally influence decisions affecting their
local area. This is slightly higher than the England national figure of 23%. However,
it varies across the WMCA area from 22% in Solihull to 27% in Birmingham.

In 2023/24 36% of WMCA residents engaged in democratic processes outside of
voting, such as signing a petition or attending a public rally. This is slightly below
the England figure of 41% and the wider West Midlands figure of 37%.

What can be, and is being done?

The deeper devolution deal brings power and control to make decisions that
matter to local people back to the West Midlands. This opportunity cannot
be squandered by merely recreating the structures of Whitehall in the West
Midlands. Devolution provides an opportunity for the region to radically improve
the relationship between local governments and people it serves. Examples where
the West Midlands is leading in this area include the establishment of independent
taskforces around homelessness, race equality; as well as the use of citizens panel,
for instance, around Greener Together.

 

Affordable and safe places

Why is this important?

Affordable and safe places is about everyone having decent homes that they can
afford, neighbourhoods where they feel secure, and feel a sense of belonging in
the place that they live.
What are the current conditions?
The cost of housing varies significantly across the WMCA area, with the average
house price ranging from £206,000 in Sandwell to £355,000 in Solihull.

Monthly rents also differ across the region from £1,025 in Birmingham to £771 in
Dudley. Private rent in the WMCA area takes up 26.2% of a household’s income,
lower than the England national figure of 34.2%.

Affordability

The affordability of homeownership is decreasing in the WMCA area. In 2023,
the median house price was 6.61 times the average annual workplace earnings, an
increase from 4.77 ten years ago in 2013.

Solihull is the least affordable area with a ratio of 9.44, compared to Coventry at
5.57, making it the most affordable in the region.

In 2023, the WMCA’s median house price was 6.61 times the average annual
workplace earnings, making it the fourth most affordable region in England
and more affordable than the England average of 8.26. Nationally, on average
mortgage offers are approximately 4.5 times the average salary, therefore without
significant savings for a deposit the average house price is out of reach for many
residents.

Social Housing

64,382 households are waiting for social housing in the WMCA. The number
of households on the social housing waiting list has varied over the past 10 years
from a high of 75,741 in 2013/14 to a low of 52,175 households in 2017/18.

Within the WMCA area there are 237,373 social housing units, with weekly rents
averaging £89.69 for local authority properties and £103.94 for private registered
properties.

There were 2,010 starts and 1,805 completions in the WMCA area. There is
variability in the number of starts and completions from 2015-16 to 2023-24, with
affordable housing starts generally outpacing completions. However, there has
been a recent rise in the number of affordable hosing completions.

Local Housing Allowance rates

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) was originally designed to help make the private
rented sector accessible and sustainable for households on benefits and low
incomes. The LHA rate was set with the aim that the rent element of benefits
would cover the full rental cost of 30% of private sector properties in any given
area, with LHA rates varying by property size and area.

Over recent years LHA rates have been frozen, with sporadic one-off uplifts,
against a context of rising rents, significantly reducing the number of properties
that are affordable within LHA rates. Data released before the most recent uplift in
LHA in 2024 indicated that in the WMCA area only 3% of homes in the private
rented sector were available to rent at LHA levels. Furthermore, more recent
research taking account of the uplift in LHA from 1st April 2024 suggested that
circa 12% of properties in the WMCA area will be affordable at the new LHA
rates. In the WMCA area, LHA rates range from £60.18 in the Black Country for
shared accommodation to £276.16 for a four-bedroom property in the Solihull.

Crime rate

Crime in the WMCA area has declined by 10 percent between June 2023 and
June 2024. The crime rate in the WMCA area (109.4 crimes per 1,000 people)
compares well against other large urban areas such as Greater Manchester
(114.6) and Greater London (105.8). However, it is still higher than areas such as
Merseyside (97.2) and Somerset (88.9).

Violent offences both with and without injury and possession of weapons
offences, is the highest in the West Midlands Police Force Area out of 38 Police
Force Areas across England. The West Midlands Police Force Area also ranks
second highest out of all England Police Force Areas in England for robbery, theft
offences, burglary and vehicle offences.
However, theft from the person, bicycle theft, drug offences and public order
offences all have lower rates in the West Midlands Police Force Area than the
England national figure.
Stop and search is a power used by Police Forces to tackle crime. However, there
are differences in rates of stop and search across ethnic groups. This is explored
in more detail in the Equalities section of this report.

Homelessness

The top three reasons for households presenting as homeless, with a known
reason, in 2023/24 were:

• Family and friends no longer able or willing to accommodate (30%; 4,908
  households)
• Ending of Assured Shorthold Tenancy (18%; 2,994 households)
• Domestic abuse (12%; 2,054 households)

19,252 households approached WMCA local authorities for help between April
2023 – March 2024; of these 17,310 (90%) households were owed a homelessness
duty, representing a 16% increase from 12,007 households in the previous
year. A homelessness duty is a legal obligation of local authorities to assist
households who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless.

Despite this rise, the rate of households assessed as homeless per 100,000
households in the WMCA dropped significantly from 18.9 in 2022/23 to 8.44
in 2023/24. This is due to large drops in the rates of homelessness seen in
Birmingham, Coventry and Sandwell. However, this figure still higher than both the
England figure (7.38) and the wider West Midlands region (7.75).
Rates of homelessness in the WMCA area are lower than in Greater Manchester
Combined Authority. However, are higher in the WMCA area than in Liverpool
City Region and West of England Combined Authority.

Furthermore rates of homelessness vary across local authority areas in the
WMCA, with Coventry having the highest rate at 16.30 households assessed as
homeless per 100,000 compared to Walsall who have the lowest rate at 3.28
households assessed as homeless per 100,000.

Households of Black, Mixed and Other ethnicity are overrepresented within
statutory homelessness figures, whilst households of White and Asian ethnicity
are underrepresented. For more details, see the Equalities section.

Temporary Accommodation

At the end of March 2024, there were 6,520 households living in Temporary
Accommodation in the WMCA area.
This figure includes 5,537 households with children, equating to 12,630 children
(aged under 18), and including 3,998 children aged 5 and under. We also know
households from ethnic minorities are overrepresented within Temporary
Accommodation. The equalities section explores this in more detail.

In the WMCA area households generally spend fewer nights in Temporary
Accommodation across the different forms of Temporary Accommodation than in
England.
3,731 households with children (67%) were in Temporary Accommodation for
longer than 6 months. The average length of stay varied across Temporary
Accommodation type, with the longest length of stay seen in private sector
accommodation averaging 9 months.
Households staying in private sector accommodation, Local Authority or Housing
Association accommodation, Hostels and B&B’s had longer stays on average in the
WMCA area compared to the England figures.

Rough sleeping

The annual rough sleeping snapshot provides information about the number of
people sleeping rough on a single night between 1 October and 30 November
each year. In 2023, 75 people were seen sleeping rough on a single night. This is
13 fewer people were seen rough sleeping compared to 2022 figures, representing
a 15% decrease from the year before. Comparatively figures for all regions and the
England figure increased.

There is growing intelligence that the situation on the streets has changed
considerably in 2024. It is likely that the annual snapshot across the region will
come in higher than last year. Our work with other regions indicates that it is
highly likely that we will also see a significant increase in rough sleeping across
England.

What can, and is being done?

WMCA’s devolved housing & land funds are deployed in collaboration with
our partners to address challenges faced in housing delivery and provide the
necessary intervention to unlock residential-led schemes that provide safe,
well-designed and affordable homes and places. Developers and investors
accessing funding are required to make a minimum of 20% of the new homes in
a development affordable, and through working with organisations who share
our values we have achieved and well exceeded this target in investments made
to date. In 2024, the country and region saw an increase in the support for the
delivery of social rent homes, seen as a key tool to tackle long social housing
waiting lists and reduce the number of people living in temporary accommodation.
In 2024/25, WMCA’s devolved housing & land funds saw an increase in the
proportion of homes funded that were social rent tenure, including 141 social rent
homes at Digbeth announced in December 2024 and 103 social rent homes in the
latest phase of the Port Loop development announced in January 2025.

Affordable housing devolution to the West Midlands, announced in March 2023
as part of the Trailblazer Deeper Devolution Deal, is the key tool for WMCA
to influence social housing delivery on a greater scale. Within Phase 1, we are
working closely with Homes England, local authorities, housing associations and
other partners to deliver more of the homes our communities need within the
current Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26. Through the close partnership
working set out in the West Midlands Strategic Place Partnership with Homes
England, officers have taken a joined-up approach to tackle barriers on stalled
schemes and enable key affordable housing developments to secure the funding
they need. Phase 2, in which WMCA will be responsible for setting the strategy
and direction of the Affordable Homes Programme from 2026, provides a huge
opportunity to equip the region with the tools and flexibility it needs to deliver the
right homes in the right places for local communities and people.

The Collaborative Partnering Agreement between WMCA and the Homes for the
West Midlands Limited Liability Partnership launched in 2024 is another step
forward in enhancing and accelerating affordable housing delivery through a new
and innovative method of sector collaboration. The partnership seeks to identify
land appropriate for affordable housing and progress these opportunities through
a simplified and cost-effective process for development in 2025 and beyond. As
well as its potential to increase delivery by numbers, the partnership represents
a unique opportunity for greater local input into the design and development
of projects from an early stage, helping to make sure schemes align with the
priorities of LPAs and embed broader policy objectives.

The WMCA Homelessness Taskforce was set up in 2017 to bring organisations,
people and resources together across the region to support and add value to the
work of our local authorities and other partner organisations that are involved
in the prevention and relief of homelessness, and to promote sustainable and
meaningful inclusion for all of our citizens. The Taskforce’s ambition to design
out homelessness, in all its forms, is based on the principle that we need a shared
cross sectoral approach to tackling structural inequalities focussing on how
service systems respond to people’s needs and how service systems inter-relate
with each other so that service systems are inclusive of everyone, regardless of life
circumstances.

The Devolution White Paper announced the transfer of Police and Crime
Commissioner (PCC) functions to the Mayor of the WMCA in 2028. This shift aims
to promote greater collaboration in tackling crime and public safety. With these
new powers, the Mayor will have direct oversight of policing strategies, ensuring
that efforts to reduce crime contributes to the region’s inclusive growth agenda.
This integrated approach aims to create safer, more resilient communities,
fostering a fairer and more prosperous West Midlands.

 

Connected communities

Why is this important?

Connected communities are essential for fostering social cohesion, support
networks, and resilience. These communities are characterised by inclusive
accessibility—encompassing physical, digital, and social connections—that
enable individuals to access essential resources, participate in active travel, and
enjoy public green spaces. Strong, interconnected communities promote higher
life satisfaction, happiness, and equitable access to opportunities, supporting
a healthier, more prosperous society. By prioritising better connectivity across
transport modes, digital infrastructure, and inclusive community design, we can
address inequalities, enhance mobility, and create environments where everyone
can thrive.

What are the current conditions?

Coventry leads in gigabit broadband availability at 96.8%, followed by
Wolverhampton at 95.1%. Solihull (92.7%), Birmingham (92.2%), and Dudley
(91.5%) are in the mid-range, while Sandwell (89.4%) and Walsall (88.6%) fall
slightly behind. Most areas exceed 90%, highlighting strong progress, though
Walsall and Sandwell may require further investment to improve connectivity.

The West Midlands region shows a consistent increase in the proportion of
addresses with gigabit availability, starting at 49.89% in 2020 and rising to
85.60% in 2024. The largest growth occurred between 2020 and 2022, with
an increase of 23.47 percentage points, reaching 73.36% in 2022. From 2022
to 2024, growth slowed but remained steady, with a rise of 12.24 percentage
points. Overall, the WMCA experienced significant progress in gigabit availability,
improving accessibility for a larger proportion of its addresses over this period.

66% of people aged 16 and over in the WMCA area are satisfied with green
and natural spaces in their local area. However, satisfaction varies across local
authorities in 2023/24, with Solihull having the highest satisfaction (around
76%) and Sandwell the lowest (around 59%). Most other local authorities,
including Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall, and Wolverhampton, fall between
60% and 70%.

Cars and taxis dominate motor vehicle traffic miles in the wider West Midlands
region between 2013 to 2023, with consistently high levels compared to other
vehicle types. In 2023 cars and taxis constituted 24.4 billion motor vehicle miles
compared to 5.3 billion miles for light commercial vehicles and 2.1 billion miles for
heavy good vehicles. Light commercial vehicles have seen an increase between
2013 and 2023, likely driven by the growth of delivery services, while buses,
motorcycles, and heavy goods vehicles contribute minimally and remain stable. A
noticeable dip in 2020 reflects the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel,
followed by a recovery in subsequent years.

In the WMCA area in 2023, 25.5% of adults walked at least 5 times a week,
this could be for any reason. 13.9% of these walked at least five times a week
for leisure and 12.4% for travel. Between 2016 to 2023, the proportion of adults
walking at least five times per week for any reason remained relatively constant,
ranging from a high of 27.8% in 2017 and 2019 to a low of 24.7% in 2020, likely
influenced by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An inverse trend was observed between walking for “travel” and “leisure,” with
“leisure” surpassing “travel” in 2020, further reflecting changes in behaviour
during the pandemic.

1.5% of WMCA adults cycle at least five times a week in 2023 for any purpose.
The proportion of adults cycling at least five times per week has experienced an
overall decline across all purposes, including “any,” “travel,” and “leisure,” with
“leisure” showing the most significant decrease. Notably, cycling for “leisure”
dropped sharply from approximately 0.7% in 2021 to nearly 0.0% in 2022. However, a recovery trend is observed after 2022, with all purposes, including
“any,” “travel,” and “leisure,” showing an increase in cycling rates.

The wider West Midlands region, highlights walking as the most prominent mode
of sustainable transport, accounting for 39.0% of trips. Driving is the secondlargest
category at 30.9%, reflecting a significant dependence on private vehicles.
Shared car trips (“Lift”) make up 19.3%, indicating some level of car sharing. Public
transport options, such as buses (5.3%) and rail (1.5%), represent relatively small
proportions, while active travel modes like cycling (1.6%) are minimally utilised.
Smaller modes include taxis at 2.2% and powered two-wheelers (PTWs) at just
0.2%. Demonstrating the reliance on driving and the underuse of sustainable
transport modes in the West Midlands, despite walking being the most popular
form of active travel. This highlights the need to enhance other public and active
travel options in the region.
We also know there are differences in the usage of public transport across
different ethnic groups in the WMCA area. This is explored in more detail in the
equalities section of this report.

There is great variation between local authorities in the number of employment
opportunities available within a 45-minute journey by public transport in 2024.
Birmingham has the highest number of job opportunities within a 45-minute
journey by public transport, with 286,554 jobs. This compares to 82,554 jobs in
Dudley. Access to a larger number of job opportunities is crucial for economic
growth, reducing unemployment, and improving residents’ quality of life.

In the West Midlands there has been a consistent reduction in the number
of bus kilometres travelled by West Midlands Bus service, over the past 14
years. This has decreased from 173.27 million in 2010 to 115.11 million in 2024,
representing a 33.6% reduction. There was a noticeable drop between 2020
and 2021, where kilometres travelled fall from 151.52 million to 129.15 million,
a reduction of 22.37 million kilometres, a 14.8% reduction. In line with the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although 2022 saw an increase, number have
not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

In the West Midlands, there has been an increase in train kilometres travelled,
increasing from 97.4 million in 2010–2011 to 135.0 million in 2023–2024,
representing a n increase of 38.6%. From 2010–2011 to 2018–2019, train
kilometres consistently increased, reaching a peak of 138.1 million in 2018–
2019. There was a decrease in train kilometres travelled in 2020-21 in line with
the COVID pandemic. From 2022 onward, the kilometres rose again rising to
135.0 million in 2023–2024.

In the West Midlands, from 2014 to 2020, there is an increase in the number of
metro kilometres travelled by West Midlands metro, peaking in 2020 at 2.0 million
metro kilometres. However, post-2020, there is a decline with a low of 1.2 million
miles in 2023, followed by an increase in 2024 to 1.8 million miles.

What can, and is being done?

Continued investment into public transport and road networks to help create
our 45-minute region of well-connected neighbourhoods, as outlined in the
Local Transport Plan, is essential to deliver journeys for everyone and unlock the
economic potential of the region, enabling residents and communities to access
employment opportunities as well as leisure and cultural events with friends and
family.

The Local Transport Plan sets out actions across ‘six big moves’ to improve
connectivity to access key services and shift travel behaviours to be more
sustainable and to support the transition to net zero. The bus network is the
backbone of the public transport network in the West Midlands, accounting for
around 80% of public transport trips. As such it has an indisputable role in the
economic success of the region. Analysis, underpinned by economic research
undertaken by Steer, on behalf of TfWM, demonstrates that for every £1 invested
into buses - a further £12 is generated back into our economy - showing its
importance as an employer and investor in the local, regional, and national
economy. The region is currently progressing proposals to bring bus services back
into public control with a final decision to be made in Summer 2025.

The WMCA has launched a consultation on a major overhaul of the West Midlands
bus services. The plan proposes replacing the current private operator-led system
with a franchised network managed by the Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
The goal is to improve service reliability, reduce traffic congestion, and support
economic growth.

The WMCA is also working on the region’s rapid transit network with further
expansion of the West Midlands Metro network such as from Wednesbury to
Brierley Hill, rail improvements such as the work to reopen the Camp Hill Line and
studies exploring opportunities for improvements in a number of other corridors.

Active travel continues to be an important part of the overall transport choice –
ensuring that walking and cycling is an option for anyone wanting to make short
trips is critical – given 60% of all journeys by car in the region are under 2 miles.

WMCA and authorities are working together to develop regional and Local
Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP) which prioritise and target
investment to key areas and corridors to support walking and cycling. The new
LTP sets out a target for 50% of urban trips to made by active travel by 2020.
We will also refresh the regional LCWIP and develop a new pipeline of schemes
running up to 2030.

Encouraging more walking and cycling will require a sustained effort to make our
roads safer in line with our regional aim of reducing the number of people killed
and seriously injured on the Strategic Route Network and the Key Route Network,
seeking to achieve the United Nations General Assembly target of reducing road
deaths by 50% by 2030.

Alongside improvements to the transport network, the way that new
developments are planned and designed is also key to supporting a shift to
more sustainable travel behaviours and improving accessibility. The Integrated
Settlement provides an opportunity to maximise the impact of WMCAs
investment, ensuring that transport enables inclusive growth.

 

Education and learning

Why is this important?

Education and learning opportunities are important for everyone at any age, to
enable them to flourish and reach their potential. From giving children and young
people the best start in life, to providing opportunities for working aged and older
adults to gain new skills, retrain for a new job or just pursue their own interests for
leisure. All types of learning are important for an inclusive society

What are the current conditions?

Level 3 qualifications

In 2023, it was estimated that 60.7% of residents in the WMCA area aged
between 16 to 64 held at least one qualification at level 3 (A-Level or equivalent)
or above. This is an increase on the rate for 2022 of 59.3% but still trails the rate
for the wider West Midlands region and England of 63.6% and 67.4% respectively.

Research shows that people with a level 3 qualification are more likely to be
employed, earn more when employed and less likely to claim out of work benefits
than those qualified at level 2 or below.

On average, level 3 qualifications result in a 16% earnings return and a 4% increase
in the likelihood of being employed. The WMCA is focused on improving
the level 3 skills offer, with a focus on getting our residents into employment;
upskilling and reskilling to respond to the regional economy and to net zero;
providing a good basic education up to Level 2 for those who need it; and
supporting our communities to be stronger and to benefit from inclusive growth.

It is estimated that 164,000 residents in the WMCA area aged between 16 and 64
have no qualifications, this is 1.1% of residents aged 16 to 64. This is higher than
the wider West Midlands figure of 0.7%.

Higher education participation

The percentage of school leavers progressing to higher education in the WMCA
area was 47.9% for the 2022/23 academic year, a less than 0.1 percentage point
decrease on the previous year. This a higher level than in both the West Midlands
area, where it is 45.3%, and England, where it is 46.9%. The 47.9% rate for the
WMCA area is a significant increase from the 36.2% who progressed to higher
education in the 2012/13 academic year. Education is a critical driver of social
mobility, meaningful careers, and life satisfaction. Regional disparities exist in
higher education participation, but areas such as Sandwell have seen significant
increases in recent years, with the participation rate consistently increasing since
2016/17. These inequalities are still pronounced though, with the participation rate
in Dudley falling for 2022/23 to the same level it was in 2014/15.

Apprenticeship starts

There has been a decline in the uptake of apprenticeships across the WMCA area,
with 2023/24 seeing a decrease of 8,000 (32%) on the enrolment figures seen
in 2013/14, from 25,190 to 17,180 apprenticeship starts. This level has remained
quite stable in the WMCA area since 2019/20. This correlates with national figures
and can partially be explained by the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy
in 2017 which has resulted in falls in apprenticeship starts and the proportion
of apprenticeships reaching young people aged 19 or below. Significantly,
intermediate level apprenticeships have been much more adversely impacted than
advanced apprenticeships, but both levels have seen sizeable declines in their
uptake across the region.

Attainment 8 & Progress 8

Pupils finishing secondary school in the West Midlands region generally end up
with lower levels of attainment and make less progress than expected overall
compared to London or the average for England. Outcomes at the end of Key
Stage 4 (Year 11) are measured using the attainment 8 benchmark (an average of
pupils’ grades across 8 qualifications including English and Maths at GCSE); and
the progress 8 benchmark (a measure of the progress made between Year 6 and
Year 11).

Across the West Midlands region, the average attainment 8 benchmark is 44.9
out of a possible 90 for the 2022/23 academic year, 1.5 points below the average
for England. This score reduced by 2.7 on the previous academic year, slightly
more than the decrease at an England level of 2.5. In the West Midlands region,
only schools in Warwickshire achieved an average attainment 8 score at or above
the England average. The England average is larger due to high scores achieved in
London, meaning that 6 out of 9 England regions fall below the average. The score
of 44.9 for the West Midlands is larger than the North East, North West, Yorkshire
and Humber, and is slightly less than the East Midlands.

In terms of our progress 8 benchmark, the average in the West Midlands region is
-0.09 for the 2022/23 academic year down from -0.06 in the previous year. This
is a negative figure which suggests that pupils are completing Year 11 with lower
grades than they would otherwise be expected to get, given their progress at the
end of Year 6 (primary school). In the WMCA area, average progress 8 scores have
gone down in each of the 7 constituent local authorities for the 2022/23 academic
year compared to the previous year. Only Birmingham retained a positive score.

There are multiple reasons why pupils in the West Midlands region may not be
doing as well as those in other parts of England, many of which bear no reflection
on the quality of education they receive. Neither attainment 8 nor progress 8 can
account for all the effects of factors such as socioeconomic circumstances which
impact a child’s learning. We also know that there are differences in the Progress
8 scores of boys and girls and differences are also evident across different ethnic
groups. This is explored in more detail in the equalities section of this report.

School Absences

School absences have increased nationally since the beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic in 2020, and the West Midlands region is no different; with 7.6% of
morning and afternoon sessions missed in the 2022/23 academic year, slightly
more than the National average of 7.4%. Absences have reduced slightly on the
2021/22 academic year, from 7.8% in the West Midlands. Pupils who regularly
attend school are more likely to do well in exams, get a better job, and reach their
potential as adults. Before the pandemic, in the 2018/19 academic year, across
state-funded primary, secondary, and special schools, around 4.8% of school
sessions were missed in the West Midlands region, and 4.7% nationally.

The initial signs are that the absence rate may reduce again for the 2023/24
academic year, with the autumn term rate being 6.7% for the West Midlands
region, down from 7.6% in the previous year, and the spring term rate being 7.3%,
a slight increase from 7.2% in the previous year.
School absence figures were not recorded at an annual level for the 2019/20
academic year due to disruption to schools caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,
causing a gap in the time series data.

Grade 4+ in English and Maths

The percentage of students in the WMCA area aged 16 years achieving at least
a grade 4 GCSE qualification in maths and English is 63%. This is lower than
the rate of 64% for the wider West Midlands region and the average of 67%
for England. Maths and English attainment are often necessary for students to
progress into further study (such as T-Levels), a good job or to be accepted onto
apprenticeships.

What can be, and is being done?

Recently announced plans in employment, health and skills policy outlined in the
Industrial Strategy Green Paper and Get Britain Working and English Devolution
White Papers create a lot of new opportunities for the WMCA to act on. Likewise,
the Integrated Settlement will allow us greater flexibility in funding and provision.
To capitalise on these opportunities, the WMCA will continue to work with local
employers and education providers to create a skills ecosystem which allows our
residents to gain skills and training that they need to progress into work and within
work, prioritising those with no or low qualifications. Supporting our residents to
gain qualifications at level 3 or higher is a key priority, as it enables them to enter
good employment or progress to further or higher education. To that end, we will
also continue to support the region’s young people to help them transition from
education to employment or progress to further or higher education to further
reduce the number of young people who are Not in Education, Employment or
Training (NEET). We will also continue to expand ESOL provision in the region to
support residents with no or low levels of English into education and employment.

 

Health and wellbeing

Why is this important?

Health and wellbeing are about people living longer, healthier, and happier lives,
regardless of their social circumstances, which has often placed a limit on their
prospects for a healthy life.

Health is more than the healthcare system: it is not just about NHS hospitals,
doctors, or nurses. Health is about people’s lives. People’s health is often
determined by their social and economic circumstances, such as their
communities – access to a good network of family and friends; prospects
– access to good jobs and education; housing and environment – living in a
good neighbourhood and with access to good quality green spaces; and a safe
community in which people are protected from crime and anti-social behaviours.

What are the current conditions?

Life expectancy

Life expectancy at birth in the WMCA area remains slightly below the national
average, with a difference of 0.6 years for females and 0.7 years for males in 2021-
2023. Encouragingly, the trend in life expectancy for both males and females
in the WMCA area has slightly increased from previous years, indicating positive
developments in regional health outcomes. Within the WMCA, Solihull, the
least deprived area, has the highest life expectancy, while Wolverhampton and
Sandwell among the most deprived areas, record the lowest. This highlights the
existing inequalities in health outcomes across the area.

Despite this positive trend in Life expectancy, the West Midlands region has faced
a significant health challenge in recent years, with a notable increase in number
of preventable deaths. Data reveals a concerning trend, particularly during the
covid pandemic. In 2019, the region had a rate of 147 preventable deaths per
100,000, which surged to 202.4 in 2021, significantly higher than the England
average of 183.1. This spike shows the underlying health disparities of the region,
highlighting the gap in its preparedness.

As well as geographical differences in life expectancy amongst WMCA residents
we also know ethnicity plays a key role in determining a person life expectancy. However, there is lack of timely and granular data on life expectancy and ethnicity
at a WMCA area geography.

Healthy life expectancy

Over the last decade, healthy life expectancy at birth in England has seen a
decline, with males living 9.3 months less and females 14 months less in 2020–
2022 compared to 2011–2013. In the WMCA area, Solihull remains the only local
authority where residents enjoy a higher HLE than the England average, further
highlighting the disparities across the region. In contrast to the HLE, disability-free
life expectancy (DFLE) at age 65 in the West Midlands Region has shown a
general improvement since 2014–2016, reflecting some positive trends in later
life outcomes.

Air quality related deaths

Environmental factors have a notable impact on people’s health, with air quality
being a critical indicator of individual’s wellbeing. Among these factors Particulate
Matter, especially ultrafine particles (PM0.1) and PM2.5 pose severe health risks.
PM2.5 are particulate matters with a diameter around 2.5 micrometres, while
ultrafine particles are even smaller, with a diameter of less than 0.1 micrometres.
These are small enough to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and enter
the bloodstream, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
The concentrations of PM2.5 are directly linked to the vehicles and industrial
emissions. The highest concentrations of PM2.5 have been observed along the M6
and Aston Expressway, calling for sustainable transportation solutions including
EV adoption, increased public transits, and initiatives prioritising green mobility
In light of these challenges, there has been some decline in deaths attributed to
particulate air pollution, within WMCA area from 7.5% in 2018 to 6.2% in 2022.
Despite this progress, all seven local authorities of WMCA continue to experience
higher mortality rates linked to air pollution compared to the national average of
5.8% in 2022.

The annual mean of particulate matter concentration reveals significant variations
across the West Midlands region, with most local authorities on the verge of
exceeding recommended air quality standards. While the statistical average for
the West Midlands region stands at 7.6 μg/m3, compared to the England average
of 7.8 μg/m3, individual areas show marked differences. Looking at the maps,
it’s evident that the most deprived areas also tend to have poorer air quality,
highlighting the intersection of environmental and social inequalities in the region.

Smoking and drug use

Smoking rates in the WMCA area have been declining gradually in recent years.
The tobacco use is less prevalent among the population with the percentage of
smokers decreasing from 18.4% in 2017/18 to 16.5% by 2021/22. Smoking rates
in 2022/23 vary across local authorities from 17.1% in Walsall to 12.8% in Solihull.
Whereas the drug usage statistics reveal a complex picture, in the year 2023 an
estimated 9.5% of people aged 16 to 59 years (~ 3.1 million) reported using drugs
in the country. There were 8583 deaths due to drug misuse in 2020-22 in England
of which 5.5% was in WMCA area.
According to the Opinions and Lifestyle survey (OPN), the use of e-cigarettes by
people aged 16 and over in England is on the rise, increasing from 3.7% in 2020
to 5.8% in 2023. This equates to an estimated 3.35 million people in the country
using vapes, with the majority (8.4%) being aged 16 to 25. While there is no official
data available at the regional level, West Midlands is likely to follow the national
trend of increased vaping among adults.

Physical activity

The physical activity levels in the West Midlands region have remained steady in
recent years. In 2022/23, 64.0% of adults in the region were physically active,
slightly below the England average of 67.1%. The percentage of physically
active children and young people in 2022/23 was the lowest among all regions,
with the West Midlands at 43.9%, marginally lower than the national average
of 47.0%. In 2023 to 2024, the prevalence of obesity among reception children
was the highest in the West Midlands region (10.9%) across the country, with
deprivation and ethnicity being major contributing factors. The West Midlands
region has some of the highest deprivation levels with a significant proportion of
the population living in areas ranked among the most deprived in England. And
the region is one of the most ethnically diverse in the country, with minoritised
communities often facing barriers to improve their physical activity levels and
healthy lifestyles.

Life satisfaction

The majority of residents in the West Midlands region report being satisfied with
their lives, with 94.8% indicating moderate to high levels of life satisfaction,
consistent with other UK regions in 2023. But the anxiety levels among the
population is in the raise. In West Midlands region, 22% of the population
experience high levels of daily anxiety, a figure unchanged since 2022. Notably,
Wolverhampton has the highest proportion of residents with low life satisfaction
(9%) and high anxiety (26.1%) compared to other areas in the region.

What can be, and is being done?

The draft WMCA Supporting Healthier Communities Strategy has identified three
long term strategic aims to focus on in order to support healthier communities in
the WMCA area:

• Promoting health equity ensuring everyone gets an equal chance to live a
  healthy life.
• A focus on the building blocks of health, ensuring that places that people live,
  work, travel and play are supportive of a healthy life.
• Economic growth through health improvement, ensuring that healthier
  communities drive economic growth.

By working with system partners, data and intelligence and our communities
we will work to address the inequalities in health outcomes and influence the
development of our region.

In the next year we will:
Focus on the Building blocks of health by delivering Health in all Policies across
the WMCA developing a bespoke framework for its implementation, influencing
the single settlement to consider health benefits and outcomes and incorporate
complex health modelling to inform delivery across different directorates
programmes. This work will also support our ambitions for wider public sector
innovation, with a focus on prevention and early intervention to improve overall
health. WMCA is also a key partner in initiatives like Policy Modelling for Health,
which focuses on developing computer models to simulate, analyse the impacts
of economic and social policies on population health outcomes and inequalities.
This enables the integration of health considerations into policy decisions,
ensuring that interventions are evidence-based and targeted to build healthier
communities.

Promote health equity through the work of the Health Foundation Funded
Mayoral Regions Programme, with its focus on reducing health inequalities, build
our health research and insights to inform delivery, continue to drive forward our
Disability Needs Assessment, Taskforce and Implementation Plan and support
colleagues across the WMCA to carry out Health Equity Impact Assessments
(HEqIA). We will also work with our system colleagues to embed physical activity
into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health pathway.

Drive economic growth through health improvement, we will continue to work
with employers on employee health and productivity and support vulnerable
residents into employment through the Thrive at Work and Thrive into Work
programmes. We will support FE college student’s mental health and wellbeing
through the Thrive College programme, enabling them to better engage with
studies and increase their employment opportunities. We will develop a specialist
Young Person’s Neurodiversity Pathway to support neuro-divergent young people
into employment opportunities.

The Devolution White Paper outlines a new health duty for the Mayor of the
WMCA, integrating their role within the region’s Integrated Care System (ICS)
from 2028. This change aims to enhance coordination between health services
and local government, ensuring health initiatives are aligned with broader regional
priorities. By leveraging these new powers, the Mayor aims to address inequalities
in health access and outcomes across the region.

 

Equality

Why is this important?

We have a duty to tackle inequality and make sure that everyone has the chance
to reach their potential. This means addressing the additional barriers to success
that a person may face because of their characteristics and backgrounds.

Under the Equality Act, people’s protected characteristics include age, disability,
gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity,
race/ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. In addition,
intersectionality ensures that we understand how people’s characteristics shape
their experiences and identities. Therefore, the characteristics that make us who
we are will not be considered in isolation from one another by this approach.

The public sector equality duty places a duty on public bodies to: eliminate
discrimination, harassment, and victimisation; advance equality of opportunity
between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who
do not share it; and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant
protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

What are the current conditions?

The WMCA area faces persistent inequalities in education, employment, pay,
housing and transport, disproportionately affecting ethnic minorities, women
and disabled people. Educational attainment is lower in the WMCA than England
across all groups, with boys, White and Mixed ethnicities showing the least
progress. Employment rates are lower for women, ethnic minorities and disabled
people, compounded by significant pay gaps, particularly for people of Mixed
ethnicity and disabled people. There are also stark inequalities in housing, with
ethnic minorities and disabled people more likely to live in overcrowded housing
and live in socially rented housing, whilst homeownership is lower in the WMCA
area than England. Public transport usage is also higher for people from ethnic
minorities, exacerbating challenges in access to opportunities. The State of the
Region 2023-2024 report outlines this in more detail.

Infant death rate

Infant death rate is higher in the West Midland region than England, for all ethnic
groups. The greatest difference is seen for infants of Other ethnicity (Other
ethnicity is a category used to identify people that are not-represented by the
other ethnic categories – Asian, Black, White and Mixed ) which have a death rate
of 7.0 per 1,000 live births of the same ethnicity in the wider West Midland region,
compared to 4.3 in England.

Infants from ethnic minorities have higher death rates than those of White
ethnicity. Infants of Black ethnicity consistently have the highest infant death rate
of all ethnic groups, with a high of 8.8 deaths per 1,000 live births of the same
ethnicity in 2022 and 2023. In contrast infants of White ethnicity consistently
have the lowest infant death rate, with a high of just 4.4 deaths per 1,000 live
births of the same ethnicity in 2022.

Child death rate

Child death rate is higher in the wider West Midland region than England, for
all ethnic groups. The greatest difference is seen for children of Mixed ethnicity
which have a death rate of 16.1 per 100,000 population of children of the same
ethnicity in the wider West Midland region compared to 10.6 in England.

The death rate of Asian children shows the highest peak in 2023 but declines
in 2024. However, the death rate children of Black and Mixed ethnicity show
steady increases. The death rate for children of Mixed ethnicity starts out lower
than children of White ethnicity and the lowest of all ethnic groups in 2020 but
by 2024 have a higher death rate children of a White ethnicity. The death rate for
Black children showing the sharpest growth by 2024. Children of White ethnicity
have the lowest death rates in 2024, with a slight increase.

Progress 8

Progress 8 scores measure academic progress between the end of Key Stage 2
(Year 6) and the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11). There are differences in academic
progress between ethnic groups. For boys, progress 8 scores are lower in the
WMCA area than England, with the largest difference seen for White boys.
For girls, pupils of Mixed and White ethnicity face the greatest challenges in
the WMCA area. Whilst girls of Other and Asian ethnicity show the strongest
performance.

Asian boys in the WMCA area perform slightly worse than England, 0.23
compared to 0.38. However, in the WMCA area and England Asian boys show
positive progress. In the WMCA area Black boys perform worse than England,
-0.03 compared to 0.07. Boys of Black ethnicity make less progress in the WMCA
and England. Boys of Mixed ethnicity in the WMCA significantly underperform
compared to England, -0.41 compared to -0.14. Boys of Mixed ethnicity show
negative academic progress in the WMCA area and England. In the WMCA area
boys of other ethnicity perform almost equally to England, 0.38 compared to 0.39,
with boys of other ethnicity showing strong positive progress in the WMCA and
England. White boys in the WMCA underperform compared to England, -0.42
compared to -0.26. White boys show negative academic progress in the WMCA
and England, with White boys in the WMCA area lagging further behind.

Girls of Asian ethnicity slightly underperform in the WMCA area compared to
England, 0.60 compared to 0.64. However, in the WMCA area and England
girls of Asian ethnicity show strong positive academic progress. Girls of Black
ethnicity in the WMCA area underperform compared to England, 0.36 compared
to 0.43. Girls of Black ethnicity show positive academic progress, but the gap
indicates a disparity between the WMCA and England. Girls of Mixed ethnicity
in the WMCA underperform compared to England, -0.10 compared to 0.11. Girls
of mixed ethnicity show negative academic progress in the WMCA compared to
the positive progress seen in England for mixed girls. Girls of Other ethnicity in
the WMCA outperform England, 0.71 compared to 0.68. Girls of other ethnicity
show strong positive academic progress, with slightly greater progress seen in the
WMCA than England. Girls of White ethnicity in the WMCA area underperform
compared to England, -0.19 and -0.0. Girls of White ethnicity show negative
academic progress in the WMCA area and England, with worse progress seen in
the WMCA.

Economic Inactivity

At the time of writing, there is a lack of reliable data that provides economic
inactivity rates by ethnicity, this is due to low response rates to the Annual
Population Survey. Due to large uncertainty in the data it is difficult to infer
meaningful differences between economic inactivity of different ethnic groups.

Pay gaps

Ethnicity pay gap

Ethnicity pay gap data has not been updated since it was released in 2023, with
the latest 2022 data showing that employees of Black, Mixed and Other ethnic
groups are paid less than White employees in the West Midlands region. Whilst
employees of Asian ethnicity are paid more than White employees in the West
Midlands region. There is a need for more timely data on the ethnicity pay gap to
help tackle inequalities in pay.

Gender pay gap

Women in the WMCA area and disabled people in the West Midlands region are
on average paid less than their counterparts.

The estimated median sex/gender pay gap between men and women was 9.5% in
the WMCA area in 2024. This means that on average women earn less than their
male counterparts in the WMCA area.

In 2024, the estimated median pay gap was lower for full-time employees at
5.9% compared to 9.5% for all employees. The gender pay gap is higher among
all employees than full-time employees because women fill more part-time jobs.
This presents an important opportunity to target the gender pay gap for part-time
employees to decrease the overall pay gap.

The WMCA gender pay gap for all employees was 9.5% compared to 14.1% for the
England average. The gender pay gap for all employees was one of the lowest in
the WMCA area of all combined authority areas in England, only slightly behind
Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The gender pay gap for full-time employees in the WMCA area was 5.9% in 2024,
lower than the England figure of 8.3%.

The median gender pay gap for all employees has been consistently lower in
the WMCA than England since 2014. With the median pay gap in the WMCA
decreasing since 2014, to the lowest it has been over the past 10 years to 9.5%, in
line with the pattern seen in England. The median pay gap was highest in 2018 in
the WMCA area at 17.5%.

Disability pay gap

The estimated disability pay gap between disabled people and non-disabled
people was in the West Midlands region was 17.7% in 2023 for all employees. This
is higher than the England national figure of 13.8%. The median pay of disabled
employees is £12.49 compared to £15.18 for non-disabled employees in the West
Midlands region in 2023.

Between 2014 and 2023 the pay gap between disabled employees and nondisabled
employees fluctuates over time in both the West Midlands region and
England. Varying between a high of 15.0% in 2020 and a low of 9.4% in 2018.
However, in 2023 the disability pay gap in the West Midlands rose to the highest
in almost ten years to 17.7%, this was noticeably higher than 13.8% seen in England
and a significant rise from 10.4% in 2023.

The consistent pay gap between disabled employees and non-disabled employees
suggests a need for more consistent measures to tackle inequalities in pay
between disabled employees and non-disabled employees. The pay gaps indicate
a persistent issue in achieving equity for disabled employees.

Stop and search

Stop and search is used by Police Forces to search people who they suspect to be
in possession of unlawful items, including illegal drugs, weapons or stolen goods.
However, there are noticeable differences in rates of stop and searches between
different ethnic groups.

In the West Midlands Police Force area there were 8.7 stop and searches for every
1,000 people for people of all ethnicities, similar to that of 8.9 within the rest of
England and Wales Police Forces in 2022/23. However, across different ethnic
groups the rate of stop and search varies between 19.1 stop and searches for every
1,000 people of Mixed ethnicity, and 5.5 stop and searches for every 1,000 White
people.

In the West Midlands Police Force area there were a greater number of stop and
searches per 1,000 people for people of Asian and Mixed ethnicity, compared
to England and Wales. There were fewer stop and searches for people per 1,000
people of Black and White ethnicity in the West Midlands Police Force Area,
compared to England and Wales.

When breaking ethnicity categories down further the rate of stop and search per
every 1,000 was highest for people of other mixed ethnicity at 28.9 per 1,000
people of other ethnicity.

Housing inequality

New social housing can play a crucial role in reducing wider inequalities by
providing affordable and stable homes, which are essential for improving access
to education, employment and services. However, the proportion of people from
ethnic minorities living in new social homes varies across the WMCA area.

In the year ending March 2023, households with a lead tenant from ethnic
minorities made up 50.2% of new social housing lettings, in line with people
from ethnic minorities making up 50.1% of the population. However, across the
WMCA area there are differences in the proportions of new social lettings and
the population for ethnic minorities. Within the WMCA area, Sandwell, Solihull
and Walsall have lower proportions of people from ethnic minorities in new social
lettings compared to the wider population. Conversely, Birmingham, Coventry and
Wolverhampton have a greater proportions of people from ethnic minorities in
new social housing than the population.

Within new social homes, people of ‘other’ ethnicity spend the greatest proportion
of income on rent in the WMCA area, spending 40% of their income. This
compares to people of White ethnicity who spend 34% of their income on rent
for new social homes. It is difficult to infer if differences between ethnicities in
the percentage of income spent on rent for new social housing, are due to higher
incomes or a higher number of working- adults living in the same household.

When breaking down ethnic group further people of Other Asian, White & Black
African spend the greatest proportion of their income on rent for new social
homes, at 40%.

Statutory Homelessness

When a homeless application is made the ethnicity of the main applicant within
the household is recorded. This reflects the ethnicity of one person within the
household and therefore if there any additional members within the household
their ethnicity is not recorded and may differ to the main applicant.

Households of Black, Mixed and Other ethnicity are overrepresented within
homelessness, when compared to the wider WMCA population. With the greatest
overrepresentation seen for households of Black ethnicity, which make up 18%
of all households owed a homelessness duty however are only 7% of the wider
WMCA population.

Households of Asian and White ethnicity are underrepresented within
homelessness, with households of a White ethnicity making up 43% of homeless
households compared to 67% of the wider WMCA population.

Between 2018 – 2023, White households as a proportion of all homeless
households consistently represent the largest group, as reflected by their larger
population share. However, the proportion of White households have gradually
declined over time. Black households as a proportion remain relatively stable over
time as the second most affected group, indicating an entrenched and consistent
problem. Asian, Mixed and Other ethnic groups show a slight variation over time,
with the proportion for households of Other ethnicity increasing over time.

Temporary Accommodation

Within Temporary Accommodation people from ethnic minorities are
overrepresented in the WMCA area, with differences in the representations of
people of different ethnicities in Temporary Accommodation compared to the
population. The most significant overrepresentation in the WMCA area is for
applicants of Black and Other ethnic groups in the WMCA area. Black applicants
constitute 26% of those in Temporary Accommodation but only 7% of the
wider population in the WMCA area. People of Other ethnicity represents 11%
of Temporary Accommodation applicants, compared to just 3% of the general
population in the WMCA area. There is also a slight overrepresentation of
Asian and Mixed groups. Asian applicants make up 21% of people in Temporary
Accommodation slightly above their 19% share of the population, while Mixed
show a similar level in Temporary Accommodation as in the WMCA population
at 5%. Applicants of White ethnicity are underrepresented in Temporary
Accommodation, constituting 24% of Temporary Accommodation applicants and
67% of the wider population.

Regular Public Transport Usage

When looking at methods of travel for journeys made in the last 7 days, females
are more likely to have used a car than makes and less likely to have used any
other form of public transport or walking.

Car travel is the main mode of travel amongst Asian, Mixed and White ethnic
groups. However, for people of Black ethnicity the most common form of travel
was bus, this is noticeably below bus usage for people of White ethnicity which
makes up. People of Mixed ethnicity are the most likely to have made a journey
that was a walking trip of 10 minutes or more.

What can, and is being done?

In the WMCA Equalities Scheme 2025-28, two of its the four objectives address
some of the equalities challenges in the State of the Region report.

• Objective 2 - To provide accessible, affordable, safe and inclusive transport
  services to our wide range of customers and
• Objective 3 - Deliver schemes, strategies and programmes across the WMCA
  that help deliver positive equality and inclusion outcomes, reducing socioeconomic
  disadvantage and poverty for our region’s diverse communities

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board launched the region’s
independent Race Equalities Taskforce in 2022, to bring a wide range of partners
together to tackle race inequality and improve opportunities for all. The Taskforce
has recently published a review of its progress to date:
Race Equalities Taskforce - Annual Progress Report

The Mayor has additionally committed the WMCA to Birmingham Race Impact
Group’s pledge to create an anti-racist region.

The Devolution White Paper announced the transfer of Police and Crime
Commissioner (PCC) functions to the Mayor of the WMCA in 2028. This shift aims
to promote greater collaboration in tackling crime and public safety. With these
new powers, the Mayor will have direct oversight of policing strategies, ensuring
that efforts to reduce crime contributes to the region’s inclusive growth agenda.
This integrated approach aims to create safer, more resilient communities,
fostering a fairer and more prosperous West Midlands.

There is limited data that provides a breakdown by ethnicity, gender or disability
at a West Midlands geography, at a timely frequency. Improved access to data that
provides granular breakdown into protected characteristics and at a geographic
scale would help improve evidence-based decision making and help tackle
inequalities.

 

Further Information

The latest and previous versions of the West Midlands State of the Region and
interactive dashboard resources is available at wmca.org.uk/sotr

This report was written by:

• Victoria Tidy: Senior Analyst, Inclusive Communities
• Dr Phillip Nelson: Senior Research Officer
• Alex Hunt: Senior Analyst
• Tawfieq Zakria: Trainee Data Scientist
• Harisiva Govindarajan: Senior Analyst, HealthMod Programme