UK Job Market Still Moves – and It’s Warm Enough to Call a “Summer” of Hiring
Job‑matching wizard Adzuna has rolled out the latest numbers, and the UK job market’s been on a little upward slide for the second month in a row. Think of it as a toddler who’s finally discovered that the sky is blue – not the entire process is smooth, but it’s definitely moving in the right direction.
New posts are creeping higher, salaries are popping up, but vacancies are wobbling
- New job listings ticked up by +1.02 % YoY – a steady climb even though the pace is only one percent.
- The average advertised salary is up +8.94 %, hitting £42,278. That’s the strongest jump since 2021, and a sigh of relief for job seekers.
- Vacancies dipped -0.95 % month‑on‑month, down to 862,876. So while the market’s upbeat overall, there’s still some wobble in who’s hiring.
Hot‑spots – where the jobs are breathing the most
Let’s break it down by sector: each one is sprouting a bit of growth, and the good news is they’re all leaning towards care, consumer and logistics.
- Healthcare & Nursing — up +1.94 % and double‑digit growth over 6 months.
- Social Work — +0.29 % month‑on‑month, also in double‑digit territory.
- Logistics & Warehouse — +4.62 % – the goldmine for movers.
- Hospitality & Catering — +5.6 % – the amuse‑bouche of the job market.
- Property, Teaching, Retail — all +2‑ish % gains.
Time‑to‑hire is getting longer, but now and then a few quick‑wins pop up
On average, filling a role takes a little over 39.5 days (up from 35.3). The ratio of job‑seekers to vacancies is about 2.02 people per job, a slight bump from March.
Salary transparency slipped a tad. Only 47.89 % of ads now include wages; that’s a drop from 48.62, meaning 52.11 % are still hiding the pay.
Graduate roles are in a slump, supply‑side miscues keep the lull going
- Graduate roles fell -7.6 % in April, making 22.8 % YoY decline.
- Top spots for grad openings in April: Customer Services (2,823), Teaching (2,664), IT (1,681), and Healthcare & Nursing (634).
- Trade & Construction saw the steepest -15.18 % monthly drop in vacancies, yet they’re still on a +49.75 % YoY trajectory.
- Teaching, Social Work and Legal each led yearly gains at +37.24 %, +22.46 %, +16.88 %.
- Retail, Energy, IT, PR/Advertising all had –23 % to –40 % year‑over‑year falls.
Budget shock snaps the market and makes things dance
Since October 2024’s National Insurance bump, Retail and Logistics saw a sharp collapse (-38.99 % & -21.56 %). Meanwhile, Trade/Construction & Healthcare & Nursing were the silver‑lining, rising +37.68 % & +20.63 % since October.
Wages keep climbing across the board, but some parties play a rough game
- Teaching grew monthly salary by +2.74 %, Domestic Help +1.39.
- Logistics & Warehouse streak at +20.41 % yearly.
- Maintenance +16.86, Teaching +13.81.
- Travel & Sales see small dips at -5.4 % & -0.96 % respectively.
- Legal salaries -0.62 % from last year.
Fast vs slow fill: Legal & Admin are the quick‑donuts, Energy & IT are the long‑desserts
Legal and Admin roles close in about 31 days on average – the fastest in the market. Energy, IT, Consultancy sit at the other end, sometimes taking 38+ days for new hires.
Regions: Where the money’s hotter and the competition’s colder
- London remains the kingpin with £48,635 average pay.
- Eastern England: £40,853.
- South East’s wages just crossed the £40,000 mark this month.
- South West has the lowest job‑seeker‑to‑vacancy ratio: 1.36.
- North East: 3.33, West Midlands: 3.17, Northern Ireland: the most competitive at 3.43.
Trending Roles – and why they’re in the news
Adzuna’s “Interest Quotient” shows what people are hunting after. In April, the top five were: Healthcare Support Worker, Warehouse Worker, Social Care Worker, Cleaner, and Healthcare Assistant. Administrative positions held their ground but didn’t break into the top three.
Trending jobs like Project Managers and Developers lost their footing, signalling job seekers are pivoting back to frontline, entry‑level gigs – those that are fairly “in‑your‑face” with less risk.
Cheer! The market’s back on track, but still a little shaky
In words of Adzuna co‑founder Andrew Hunter, “After signs of recovery in March, April reminded us that there’s still some instability. Vacancies dipped, salary growth is slowing, but… we’ve found two consecutive months of annual vacancy upswing, and pay is up 9% YoY, beating inflation.”
He added that strong demand in healthcare, logistics, and teaching is keeping the market reliable and that the revival is real – though we’re not racing at full speed yet.
