Intrernal Audit – UK Real Estate Labour Market Trends Report, January 2026
Finance Hiring Climbs 13% as Technology and Fintech Spur Growth
Key findings include:
- UK Internal Audit vacancies rose 18% in 2025, reflecting stronger demand for governance and oversight roles.
- London reinforced its dominance, accounting for 57% of national vacancies.
- Regional hiring was mixed, with growth in Northern Ireland and Yorkshire but declines across southern England.
- Early 2026 hiring has slowed sharply, with vacancies down 40% year-on-year.
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London Strengthens Its Hold on Internal Audit Hiring
Demand for Internal Audit professionals across the UK financial sector strengthened in 2025 as banks expanded governance and oversight capabilities. Vacancies rose 18%, increasing from 376 roles in 2024 to 445 in 2025. London remained firmly at the centre of the market. Hiring in the capital climbed 29%, lifting its share of national vacancies from 53% to 57%. Activity gathered pace through the middle of the year, with recruitment peaking in July. The momentum has not carried into 2026, however. Vacancies across January and February fell 40% year-on-year, dropping from 90 roles to 54 as recruitment slowed sharply outside the capital.
Internal Audit Stands Out in Banking Accounting
Within banking accounting functions, Internal Audit was one of the few areas to record clear expansion in 2025. Vacancies increased 18%, outperforming several other accounting disciplines. Hiring strengthened gradually throughout the year, with the largest quarterly improvement in Q3, when vacancies rose by 28%. July proved the strongest month for recruitment. Across accounting more broadly, demand remained concentrated in core oversight functions. Financial Accounting recorded 523 vacancies, while Audit followed closely with 512 roles, together representing a large share of banking accounting demand. Early 2026 figures point to softer conditions, with Internal Audit vacancies falling 40% year-on-year.
Regional Hiring Reveals an Uneven Landscape
Regional hiring patterns underline the uneven geography of Internal Audit recruitment. London continued to dominate the market, with vacancies rising 29% in 2025 and its national share increasing from 53% to 57%. Elsewhere, several regions recorded strong growth. Northern Ireland expanded 120%, the fastest increase in the UK, while Yorkshire and the Humber rose 69%, and the North West grew 57%. Scotland also recorded solid gains, with vacancies increasing 45% and its share of the national total rising from 5% to 7%. In contrast, southern markets weakened considerably. The South declined by 54%, the South East fell by 55%, and the East of England dropped by 73%.
Large Banks Lead Recruitment
Company-level hiring trends show Internal Audit recruitment led largely by major international banks. Barclays recorded the most dramatic expansion, with vacancies rising 320%, from 10 roles in 2024 to 42 in 2025. JPMorgan increased hiring by 68%, while Citi doubled its recruitment, a 100% increase. Both HSBC and Morgan Stanley tripled their vacancies, indicating significant expansion in oversight functions. Not every institution followed this trajectory. Evelyn Partners saw vacancies fall by 82%, while Northern Trust declined by 70%, Bank of America by 67%, and Nationwide by 42%. Early 2026 activity remains limited, though Shawbrook Bank currently leads with seven vacancies.
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