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 – 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.
Fintech – UK Finance Labour Market Trends, December 2025
This report examines the sharp rebound in UK FinTech hiring, with vacancies set to rise 36.9% and London accounting for nearly three-quarters of all roles. It highlights accelerating demand for specialist technology, compliance and credit risk talent, driven by fast-scaling firms and a sector increasingly focused on regulation, resilience and platform innovation.
Medical Affairs – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, November 2025
This report examines how global pricing pressure is driving a 9.6% decline in UK Medical Affairs hiring for 2025, with London remaining resilient and Wales surging. It highlights the contraction among major pharma, contrasted with growth in CROs and biotechs, and shows how AI is reshaping support roles while core scientific expertise remains in demand.
R&C – UK Legal Labour Market Trends, November 2025
This report analyses how FinTech is reshaping the UK’s Risk & Compliance labour market, with vacancies up 26.2% as demand shifts toward Financial Crime and Credit Risk expertise. It contrasts this growth with banks’ continued downsizing of oversight teams and highlights London’s dominance alongside rising regional and hybrid hiring models.
Midlands – UK Regional Labour Market Trends, November 2025
This report explores labour market trends across the Midlands in 2025, with the East set for 11.4% vacancy growth while the West holds its position as the region’s main hiring hub. It highlights how retail, consumer goods and engineering are driving expansion, as employers prioritise roles tied to commercial recovery, operational delivery and long-term growth.
Retirement Crisis and Engineering – UK Tech Labour Market Trends Report, November 2025
This report examines the widening engineering skills gap in UK telecoms as a retirement surge collides with limited talent pipelines, putting £22 billion in 5G and fibre projects at risk. It highlights growing regional disparities, rising vacancy pressures, and how employers are racing to reskill and retain talent to protect the UK’s digital future.
AI Disruption UK Market – UK Tech Labour Market Trends, September 2025
This report analyses how AI is driving one of the few areas of growth in the UK labour market, with IT and data hiring accelerating even as wider recruitment slows. It explores how major tech and banking firms are investing aggressively in AI capability, while retail and professional services rapidly follow suit — reshaping job roles, skill demands and the competitive landscape across the country.
