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.
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.
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.
