Vacancies And Jobs In The Uk: February 2024

13th February 2024

The estimated number of vacancies in November 2023 to January 2024 was 932,000, a decrease of 26,000 from August to October 2023.

Vacancy numbers fell on the quarter for the 19th consecutive period in November 2023 to January 2024, down by 2.7% since August to October 2023, with the estimated number of vacancies falling in 12 of the 18 industry sectors.

Total estimated vacancies were down by 209,000 in November 2023 to January 2024, from the level of a year previous, although they remained 131,000 above their pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) January to March 2020 levels.

The industry sectors showing the largest annual decreases in the number of vacancies were human health and social work activities, and accommodation and food service activities, which fell by 41,000 and 37,000, respectively.

In November 2023 to January 2024, the estimated number of vacancies fell on the quarter for the 19th consecutive period. The current sequence of quarterly falls in our vacancy estimates is the longest ever recorded, but has slowed in the latest period, with the smallest fall in the number of vacancies since May to July 2022.

The headline vacancy estimates are based on three-month averages, which naturally involve some time lag.

The estimated total number of vacancies fell by 2.7% from the previous quarter, with electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply contracting the most, falling by 11.1%, followed by arts, entertainment and recreation, which fell by 8.7%.

In November 2023 to January 2024, the estimated number of vacancies fell on the quarter by 26,000 to 932,000. The industry showing the largest fall in vacancy numbers was human health and social work activities, which was down by 11,000 from the previous quarter.

When comparing November 2023 to January 2024 with the same time the previous year, total vacancies decreased by 209,000 (18.3%) with falls in 17 of the 18 industry sectors. The industry that decreased the most was human health and social work activities, where the estimated number of vacancies fell by 41,000 (19.6%).

The total estimated number of vacancies remains 131,000 above January to March 2020 pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) levels, with human health and social work activities showing the largest increase, at 31,000. Four industry sectors fell below pre-coronavirus levels with a combined fall of 13,000 vacancies, with the largest single fall in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, which was down by an estimated 5,000 vacancies.

The overall ratio of vacancies per 100 employee jobs in November 2023 to January 2024 was 3.0 for the fourth consecutive period. Accommodation and food service activities currently has the highest ratio at 4.5 but has been trending downwards since April to June 2022 when it was 7.2.

Read the full ONS report HERE