UK job vacancies fell to 691,000 in July to September 2026, down 21,000 or 2.9% on the previous three months and 37,000 or 5.1% lower than a year earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Outside the pandemic period, that is the lowest level since July to September 2014, when there were 686,000 vacancies. Over the same release, the unemployment rate for June to August 2026 was 4.7%, down 0.1 percentage points on the quarter and on the year, while the employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 rose to 75.3%.

Pay and payrolls paint mixed picture

Pay growth eased. Annual growth in employees' average earnings was 3.7% for both regular pay, excluding bonuses, and total pay in June to August, with total pay growth at its lowest in nearly six years. The ONS said feedback from its vacancy survey continues to suggest smaller firms may not be recruiting because of increases in labour costs. Payrolled employees fell by 111,000 over the year to August 2026, although they rose by 1,000 between July and August, and economic inactivity for people aged 16 to 64 fell to 20.9%.

What jobseekers should watch

For jobseekers, the balance of the market loosened slightly: there were 2.4 unemployed people per vacancy in June to August, down from 2.5 in March to May, a level at which the ratio has remained since September 2025. The ONS described the wider labour market as broadly flat in 2026, with a slight rise in employment and a small fall in unemployment alongside falling vacancies. This is an employment-statistics story, not a single vacancy: no individual role, salary or deadline is claimed here, and jobseekers should apply only through official employer or government listings.

Sources: ONS Labour market overview, October 2026, Personnel Today.