Vacancysoft Market Update: 2021, What Next?
As we approached the end of what has been a frenetic year 2021, with recruiters challenged in unique ways never seen before, the big question was: What next?
In this 20 minute presentation (recorded on Nov 18, 2021) we will give you a snapshot of the latest recruitment trends we are seeing emerging, both by regional area and across the key industries of the knowledge economy so you know how best to organise resources in your business.
James Chaplin, Vacancysoft CEO is presenting, where attendees had the opportunity to both network with each other, using the highly innovative REMO platform, and ask questions about the presentation directly, where after the main presentation, we will have plenty of time to respond to the issues you consider to be most important.
Download our Year in Review Magazine 2021 edition below!
In our annual magazine 2021 edition you will find a full review of the hiring activities across key sectors of the UK economy over the past year. The magazine covers trends seen in Britain’s tech, life sciences, law, finance, real estate and insurance industries.
Year in Review – UK Real Estate Labour Market Trends Report, January 2026
This report shows UK real estate hiring remained resilient in 2025, with vacancies rising 0.5% nationally despite a 1.3% drop in London, driven by strong demand for sales and infrastructure roles. Regional growth was uneven, with Scotland leading at 14.2%, while housing-focused firms scaled back recruitment amid slower residential markets.
Year in Review – UK NFP Labour Market Trends Report, January 2026
This report shows how policy changes and rising costs are reshaping hiring in the UK non-profit sector, with organisations focusing on targeted roles and operational efficiency. It also highlights a shift away from London and growing demand for technical roles while some charities reduce hiring due to tighter budgets.
Year in Review – UK Telecom Labour Market Trends Report, January 2026
This report shows that UK telecom hiring rose 6.3% in 2025 but began slowing as the sector shifted from rapid 5G expansion to consolidation. Demand is increasingly focused on IT and engineering roles, while regional hiring gaps and employer strategies continue to diverge.
Year in Review – UK Insurance Labour Market Trends Report, January 2026
This report finds that UK insurance vacancies fell by 5.7% in 2025 as AI and automation reshaped hiring, sharply reducing claims and broking roles while demand for digital and IT talent grew. London remained the dominant hiring hub with 44.3% of vacancies, while company strategies—such as acquisitions, consolidation and investment in technology—drove diverging recruitment trends across the sector.
Year in Review – UK Tech Labour Market Trends Report, January 2026
This report highlights that the UK technology labour market grew in 2025 despite a cautious economic environment, with IT vacancies rising by about 15% year-on-year and London accounting for nearly 45% of national demand. It also shows strong growth in fintech and product management roles—especially in London—while banks, consultancies, and digital transformation projects increasingly drove demand for IT professionals.
Year in Review – UK Legal Labour Market Trends, January 2026
UK legal hiring grew modestly in 2025, with vacancies rising 1.4%, but strong demand in specialist areas drove large increases in personal injury (+30.3%), banking and finance (+23.4%), and tax (+19%) roles. Regional markets expanded alongside London, with the North East (+28.6%) and Wales (+26%) leading growth, while law firm recruitment strategies diverged sharply, with some firms rapidly expanding and others scaling back hiring.
Year in Review – Life Sciences Report
This report finds that UK life sciences hiring cooled in 2025 as companies prioritised funding discipline and cash efficiency, with scientific vacancies falling 7% overall despite continued strength in core hubs such as London and growth in South East England. While regional trends diverged—most notably rapid expansion in North East England—major employers such as Roche, Lonza, and Johnson & Johnson increased hiring, even as recruitment slowed at firms including GSK and AstraZeneca.
Year in Review – UK Finance Labour Market Trends, January 2026
This report finds that UK financial-services hiring grew 13% in 2025 despite economic uncertainty, driven by strong demand for technology, compliance, and digital transformation roles, with fintech vacancies rising 29% and Greater London accounting for over half of all growth.
Accountancy vacancies increased 15% with a sharp rise in senior leadership roles, banking hiring focused on IT and operational resilience, and fintech remained the sector’s fastest-growing segment as firms expanded software, product, and business-development teams.
Year in Review – Regional Labour Market Trends, January 2026
This report shows that the UK hiring market is recovering unevenly, with London remaining the largest hiring hub while regions like Northern Ireland, the North West, and the East Midlands are experiencing faster growth due to infrastructure investment and regional funding. The strongest driver of job creation is the technology sector, where demand for roles such as software engineers, AI specialists, and cybersecurity experts continues to rise, supported by government industrial strategy and increased corporate investment in finance, infrastructure, and defence.
London – UK Regional Labour Market Trends, December 2025
This report examines London’s stronger-than-average job growth in 2025, driven by rising demand for tech and executive roles. It highlights a shift toward digital skills as leading employers expand despite wider economic caution.
