Economy #job vacancies#employment
UK Job Vacancies Fall to Five-Year Low as Firms Cut Back on Recruitment
The number of UK job vacancies fell to 707,000 in March-May 2026, the lowest level in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data signals a softening labour market, with professional services, retail and hospitality seeing the steepest declines. New hires also hit a five-year low at just under 540,000 in April. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.9% while regular pay growth held at 3.4%.
Jun 23, 2026 1 source