The number of permanent jobs available in the South of England has fallen for the first time since 2020 - but starting pay has increased as firms battle to attract highly skilled workers, new research has revealed.
Businesses in the region are putting hiring on hold amid heightened economic uncertainty, according to the latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey. Recruiters reported a “steep fall” in the number of permanent jobs during December, with companies hesitant about hiring while facing a low supply of suitable candidates.
As a result, companies are relying on temporary staff to fill vacancies instead. Job contraction accelerated to the sharpest rate seen since June 2020 and was the steepest of all four monitored English regions. London was the only area to register an increase in permanent candidate numbers in December, according to the report which was compiled by S&P Global.
