Vacancies fell by 7,000 (0.9%) in April to June 2026, down to 712,000.
Average earnings in Great Britain grew by 3.4% for regular pay and 4.3% for total pay in March to May 2026.
Regular pay growth was 5.5% in the public sector and 2.9% in the private sector.
There were 26,000 working days lost because of labour disputes across the UK in May 2026.
Reaction:
Lee Chant, managing director at ManpowerGroup UK and Ireland:
“While today’s figures point to a labour market that remains stable, the conversations happening behind the data tell a different story.
“Over recent months many employers have been reassessing how work is organised, reviewing their structure and questioning whether traditional roles still meet the needs of their business.
“What we’re seeing now is the outcome of that rethink. Businesses are beginning to invest again, but they’re not simply replacing workers on a like-for-like basis.
“They’re combining responsibilities, creating new functions and redesigning roles around changing business priorities.
“The real story isn’t that employers are getting rid of jobs, it’s that they’re rebuilding work.
“With unemployment at 4.9% and vacancies at 712,000, employers remain selective, but demand continues for workers who can bring a blend of skills, adaptability and potential.
“Perhaps the biggest shift is in attitudes towards future talent. After years of focusing on cost reduction, automation and efficiency, many employers are recognising that long-term growth still depends on people.
“Refreshingly, given the recent attention around NEETs, businesses are looking again at younger workers, transferable skills and non-traditional career paths, recognising that the workforce they need tomorrow may not come from the places they’ve hired from before.”
Sheila Flavell, chief operating officer at FDM Group:
“Getting this population back in the workforce is critical for the future of the UK economy. One million young people who are NEET cost the UK economy a staggering £125 billion.
“That’s not just lost revenue but also a serious loss of talent. As AI continues to evolve and redefine traditional job roles, the digital skills gap will continue to impact social mobility.
“To close this gap, we need to improve access to opportunities for candidates from diverse backgrounds and support their entry into careers in competitive sectors.
“The current jobs market has thrown up serious concerns about the value of traditional university degrees and their relevance to actual roles that employers are hiring for.
“Alternate pathways into employment like apprenticeships and tailored upskilling programmes can help attract and develop a major talent pool that may have been overlooked.
“The UK government must work with industry to facilitate this.
“Offering incentives like tax relief for hiring apprentice level 5 and below can encourage more employer-led initiatives into graduate hiring.”
Aaron Bright, investment analyst at IG:
“The picture emerging is of bit of a subdued UK labour market, with caution the watchword as employers weigh rising costs against the issues in the Middle East potentially restarting.
“Unemployment held at 4.9% but is up on the year, vacancies slipped again to and the claimant count rose.
“A softening jobs market would usually open the door to a potential rate cut, but with the inflation outlook looking uncertain and potentially creeping up, the Bank of England is boxed in if the UK labour market begins to sink further.”
Kate Field, global head of human and social sustainability at the British Standards Institution:
“On day two of the Burnham premiership, while the figures suggest the labour market is stabilising, with inactivity starting to ease, it would be premature to say the UK labour force is out of the woods.
“We know that health, safety and wellbeing issues still cost UK employers billions in lost output each year because, often, people are sick, stressed or scared to speak up at work – investing in better workplace health support is essential if we want these early gains in participation to last.”
