Between 2023 and 2024, professional vacancies in the Midlands fell 9.0%, outpacing the national decline of 1.5%, with the West Midlands seeing the sharpest drop. Economic pressures, including retail closures and a slowdown in investment, have driven this regional contraction.
The UK internal audit job market is surging in early 2025, driven by regulatory pressure from ECCTA and FCPA updates. January saw a 70% spike in vacancies as firms scale up compliance, with demand expected to keep rising through the year.
Regional disparities in recruitment highlight increasing economic imbalances across the UK. In 2024, London was the only region to see YoY growth, boosting its share of total vacancies from 34.4% to 36.8%.
After a subdued 2023, the UK’s life sciences industry saw stabilised recruitment in 2024, with vacancies rising 5.2% year-on-year to 7,521.
Amid political transition and economic recovery, 2024 proved largely positive for the UK legal sector, with vacancies rising 14.2% across England and Wales. A post-election surge in M&A activity, especially large-cap buyouts, drove demand for legal professionals, aided by falling interest rates.
AI adoption into insurance is accelerating as businesses optimise processes to improve outcomes while streamlining headcounts, with claims in particular being impacted. As a result, despite a year where the sector saw record profits, vacancies have fallen by 11.7% in 2024 compared to the year before.
