Contract roles hit 2025 high as UK recruitment market strengthens in September

The UK recruitment market showed renewed momentum in September, with contract roles rising 10% year-on-year and 18% month-on-month to reach their highest level of 2025, according to the latest Hiring Trends report from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) in partnership with Bullhorn.

Contract placements also strengthened, increasing by 11% month-on-month and 8% year-on-year, signalling that the contingent market entered the final quarter of the year in a more robust position than it began.

Permanent roles also showed improvement, up 27% month-on-month to return to pre-summer levels, though they remain 7% below September 2024 figures.

Permanent placements rose 12% between August and September, remaining steady compared with last year.

Samantha Hurley, managing director at APSCo UK, said: “The September data paints a promising picture for the UK’s professional recruitment sector, particularly in the contract market.

“The rise in contract roles and placements reflects the agility businesses are adopting in response to economic uncertainty and evolving workforce demands.

“While permanent hiring has seen a healthy month-on-month recovery, the year-on-year dip suggests that employers remain cautious about long-term commitments.

“However, the stability in permanent placements compared to last year is encouraging and points to a steady recalibration of hiring strategies.

“As we move into the final quarter of 2025, we expect contract hiring to continue playing a pivotal role in workforce planning, especially in sectors where project-based work and specialist skills are in high demand.

“The data also reinforces the need for recruiters and employers to remain flexible and responsive to market shifts, ensuring they can attract and retain top talent in a competitive landscape.”

Andy Ingham, SVP sales, EMEA & APAC at Bullhorn, said: “September closed out Q3 with a promising bounce back from the August lull.

“The contract market was a clear standout, with jobs up 10.4% year-over-year and placements rising by 8.7%, which paints an optimistic picture for temp employment.

“While the permanent market saw its expected jump from August, it has settled back into the steady, incremental growth we’ve seen throughout the year.

“As we move into October, we are hopeful that these trends will continue, setting us up for a strong start to Q4.”