The United Kingdom's labour market is experiencing a notable shift, with demand for nannies, au pairs, sales executives, and delivery drivers surging in recent weeks, according to new research. Conversely, job advertisements for aircraft pilots, air traffic controllers, travel agents, and train drivers have seen the most significant declines.
Overall Job Advert Trends
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) reported that the total number of new job adverts in April stood at 711,733. This figure represents a 7.7 per cent drop from March and a 5.6 per cent decrease compared to the same period last year. The easing momentum in the jobs market is attributed to several factors, including the Easter holidays, rising employment costs, and ongoing uncertainty stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. The REC also warned that political instability within the UK could further dampen recruitment efforts in the coming months.
Expert Commentary
Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said: “The labour market is entering a more unpredictable phase after a solid start to the year. Hiring picked up earlier this year, but momentum eased somewhat in April, reflecting both seasonal Easter holidays and growing sensitivity to the conflict in the Gulf.” He added: “The question now is how much of that momentum employers can realistically recover over the summer amid sudden domestic political uncertainty and prolonged tensions in the Gulf. The Government must help businesses commit to permanent hiring by tackling cost pressures, which remain the key driver of recruitment decisions.”
Outlook for 2026
Research from CV-Library, released in February, showed that while many businesses had paused employment decisions while awaiting clarity from the Autumn Budget, almost three-quarters (71 per cent) of businesses “were prepared to increase hiring, either moderately or significantly, throughout 2026”. Among those already doing so, engineering, hospitality, and construction sectors were displaying signs of growth in late 2025, with engineering as a sector having the higher number of open roles - over 377,000 across the final three months of last year.
Lee Biggins, CEO of CV-Library, noted there were “cautious signs of a recovery” but pointed to the wide range of costs businesses are facing as they weigh up whether or not to hire more staff. In terms of what people might be searching for, Jobhire.ai conducted an analysis which claimed remote roles were now more than four times as tough to land as office or hybrid roles – despite search for remote jobs being up 85 per cent.
