Labour Market Tracker: Chancellor must be bold and seize the opportunity to fuel jobs market recovery, says REC
Press releases
- The total number of active job postings in September 2026 was 1,905,197; this is the highest number of active job postings since March 2024. This represents a 12.1% increase from August 2026 and an 11.8% increase from September 2025.
- There were 848,335 new job postings this September 2026, which represents a 19% increase from August 2026 and a 9.8% increase from September 2025.
- The three Counties/Unitary Authorities with the largest increases in active job postings were Newry, Mourne and Down (34.1%), Brent (31.6%), and the Isle of Anglesey (28%).
- The three counties with the largest decreases in active job postings were West Sussex (Northeast) (-1.2%), Westminster (-1.5%), and East Surrey (-8%).
- For the second month in a row, all government office regions experienced growth in active job postings.
There was an increase in job postings ahead of this week’s Budget, according to the latest monthly REC/Lightcast Labour Market Tracker.
The Labour Market Tracker is a valuable measure of labour demand because it provides a near real-time measure of online job boards and without a long publication lag. It shows that the number of both new and active job postings in September 2026 was significantly higher than in August 2026 and than at the same point last year.
Breaking the data down by government office region shows that active job postings increased across every region of the UK for the second consecutive month.
While the increase may provide encouragement for jobseekers, it also reflects employers continuing to recruit despite rising costs and significant uncertainty, as they approach a critical quarter and look for support from this week’s Budget.
Maxine Bligh, REC’s Interim Chief Executive, said:
“British businesses cannot keep battling alone through economic and political headwinds to keep hiring and investing. The government needs to do more to encourage businesses to invest in people by making bold cuts to the cost of employment. The Chancellor has acknowledged the pressures businesses have been under and now he must deliver policy changes on things such as Guaranteed Hours and National Insurance Contributions to facilitate a jobs recovery. This latest jobs report suggests employers are tentatively driving recruitment forward. The breadth of occupations showing growth is particularly encouraging. With the right market conditions, this trajectory could be significantly strengthened and sped up.
“There is a significant pickup in hospitality and retail postings as employers look to improved trading conditions heading into the festive season, after a tough trading year for both sectors. Also encouraging for mid-level recruitment is the uptick in business and accounting-related roles and legal occupations.”
Maxine Bligh added:
“Today’s data highlights the resilience employers have shown despite geopolitical strains and cost pressures driven by the Employment Rights Act. Rising job postings show businesses are still prepared to hire and invest. But confidence remains fragile amid ongoing uncertainty.
“There are now three Cs that employers are looking for from this week’s Budget: conviction from the Chancellor on supporting business to deliver his desire for a new age of industrialisation; cuts to employment costs; and renewed confidence to invest and hire.”
The Labour Market Tracker shows that the occupations with the highest growth in active job postings between August and September 2026 were Driving Instructors (126.1%), Postal Workers, Mail Sorters, Messengers and Couriers (95.7%), and Other Skilled Trades n.e.c. (73.4%).
In contrast, Environmental Health Professionals (-8.6%), Authors, Writers and Translators (-19.1%), and Houseparents and Residential Wardens (-34.1%) experienced the largest declines in active job postings between August and September 2026.
The Counties/Unitary Authorities with the largest increases in active job postings were Newry, Mourne and Down (34.1%), Brent (31.6%), the Isle of Anglesey (28%), East Dunbartonshire (27.5%), and Mid Ulster (27.1%), which recorded the largest increases in active job postings between August and September 2026.
Conversely, Tower Hamlets (3.4%), Hackney and Newham (2.7%), West Sussex (Northeast) (-1.2%), Westminster (-1.5%) and East Surrey (-8%) recorded the worst performance in active job postings between August and September 2026.
Sectors:
This month’s Labour Market Tracker takes an in-depth look at business and accounting-related occupations, hospitality-related occupations, and retail occupations.
Business and Accounting
Business and accounting-related occupations saw a 9.2% increase from last month, with September 2026 seeing a total of 475,915 active job postings. The occupations with the largest increase from August 2026 were Stock Control Clerks and Assistants (43%), Financial Administrative Occupations n.e.c. (32.4%), and Officers of Non-governmental Organisations (26.4%).
The occupations with the weakest growth in active job postings since August 2026 were Public Relations Professionals (1%), Collector Salespersons and Credit Agents (-1.2%), and Insurance Underwriters (-1.6%).
Hospitality
There was a total of 70,518 hospitality-related active job postings in September 2026, representing a 17.6% increase from August 2026. The occupations with the largest increase in job postings were Waiters and Waitresses (28.9%), Bakers and Flour Confectioners (28.7%), and Bar Staff (25.9%).
The occupations that saw the weakest growth in active job postings were Hotel and Accommodation Managers and Proprietors (12.5%), Leisure and Travel Service Occupations n.e.c. (11.5%), and Leisure and Sports Managers and Proprietors (11.1%).
Retail
Retail-related occupations saw a 16.5% increase from August 2026 to September 2026, with a total of 223,764 active job postings. The occupations with the largest increase from August 2026 to September 2026 were Elementary Sales Occupations n.e.c. (41.2%), Roundspersons and Van Salespersons (32.5%), and Visual Merchandisers and Related Occupations (31.7%).
The occupations which performed the worst in terms of active job postings were Importers and Exporters (4.9%), Call and Contact Centre Occupations (3.7%), and Collector Salespersons and Credit Agents (-1.2%).
Ends
Notes to editors:
1. The Labour Market Tracker is produced by the REC using Lightcast Job Postings Analytics data which collects job postings worldwide from over 220,000 current and historical sources daily. The posting data in Lightcast products is not smoothed. Its deduplication process uses a fixed algorithm that ensures we deduplicate 80% of all collected postings. Additionally, Lightcast curate the data monthly to remove outliers, usually around 1% of the dataset, using a proprietary tool designed to eliminate noise and bad data.
Every four weeks, Lightcast reclassifies all historic and current raw postings data using our most up to date classifiers. The data is then deduplicated, curated, and republished, ensuring that all data is continuously improved. All removed postings are documented in our changelog for visibility. While Lightcast understands that retroactive changes can affect your analysis, this process is designed to maintain its commitment to providing the highest quality data for strong time-series analysis. For further details, you can review our full changelogs here:
· https://docs.lightcast.dev/taxonomies
· -https://docs.lightcast.dev/updates/postings-volume-changelog
The data used within this report was harvested in October 2026. For more details, see the attached annexes which, in league table format, detail the top and bottom ten county/unitary authorities for growth in job postings and growth by occupation type.
2. ‘Active’ job postings are those which were live online during the specified time period. ‘New’ job postings are those which were added to the active stock during the specified time period.
Media enquiries
For more information and interview enquiries, contact the REC Press Office on 020 7009 2157 or pressoffice@rec.uk.com. Outside of regular office hours, please call 07702 568 829.
Click here to view all REC press releases.
About the REC
The REC is the voice of the recruitment industry, speaking up for great recruiters. We drive standards and empower recruitment businesses to build better futures for great candidates and themselves. We are champions of an industry which is fundamental to the strength of the UK economy.
Find out more about the Recruitment and Employment Confederation at www.rec.uk.com.
About Lightcast
Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) provides trusted global labour market data, analytics, and expert guidance that empowers communities, corporations, and learning providers to make informed decisions and navigate the increasingly complex world of work. With a database of more than one billion job postings and career profiles, our team provides best-in-class customer service with robust data, clear analysis, and expert guidance on skills, jobs, and opportunities.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and Moscow, Idaho, Lightcast is active in more than 30 countries and has offices in the United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, and India. The company is backed by global private equity leader KKR. For more, visit www.lightcast.io/uk.
ANNEXES
Top ten and bottom ten county/unitary authorities for growth in job postings:
|
County/unitary authority |
Unique active job postings, September 2026 |
Change in active job postings, August to September 2026 |
|
Newry, Mourne and Down |
1,727 |
34.1% |
|
Brent |
2,530 |
31.6% |
|
Isle of Anglesey |
571 |
28.0% |
|
East Dunbartonshire |
838 |
27.5% |
|
Mid Ulster |
2,732 |
27.1% |
|
Fermanagh and Omagh |
1,440 |
26.5% |
|
East Lancashire |
4,319 |
26.4% |
|
North Northamptonshire |
9,227 |
25.2% |
|
East Ayrshire |
1,495 |
24.4% |
|
Blackburn with Darwen |
3,106 |
23.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
Wandsworth |
2,394 |
6.8% |
|
Lewisham and Southwark |
4,121 |
6.8% |
|
Shetland Islands |
378 |
6.8% |
|
Gwynedd |
1,730 |
5.3% |
|
Camden and City of London |
4,043 |
4.4% |
|
Tower Hamlets |
1,956 |
3.4% |
|
Hackney and Newham |
2,883 |
2.7% |
|
West Sussex (Northeast) |
11,532 |
-1.2% |
|
Westminster |
6,101 |
-1.5% |
|
East Surrey |
11,126 |
-8.0% |
Top ten and bottom ten occupations by growth in job postings:
|
Occupation |
Unique active job postings, September 2026 |
Change in active job postings, August to September 2026 |
|
Driving Instructors |
692 |
126.1% |
|
Postal Workers, Mail Sorters, Messengers and Couriers |
638 |
95.7% |
|
Other Skilled Trades n.e.c. |
359 |
73.4% |
|
Head Teachers and Principals |
1,631 |
45.9% |
|
Stock Control Clerks and Assistants |
406 |
43.0% |
|
Debt, Rent and Other Cash Collectors |
1,784 |
41.4% |
|
Elementary Sales Occupations n.e.c. |
1,103 |
41.0% |
|
Undertakers, Mortuary and Crematorium Assistants |
553 |
38.6% |
|
Elementary Cleaning Occupations n.e.c. |
436 |
37.5% |
|
Clergy |
1,837 |
36.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Architects |
1,223 |
-3.2% |
|
Physical Scientists |
1,629 |
-3.4% |
|
Paramedics |
356 |
-3.5% |
|
Waste Disposal and Environmental Services Managers |
551 |
-5.0% |
|
Higher Level Teaching Assistants |
2,198 |
-6.5% |
|
Chartered Surveyors |
5,602 |
-7.0% |
|
Assemblers (Vehicles and Metal Goods) |
539 |
-7.2% |
|
Environmental Health Professionals |
371 |
-8.6% |
|
Authors, Writers and Translators |
2,986 |
-19.1% |
|
Houseparents and Residential Wardens |
389 |
-34.1% |
Key indicator occupations
|
Occupation |
Unique active job postings, September 2026 |
Change in active job postings, August to September 2026 |
|
Advertising and Marketing Associate Professionals |
10,577 |
7.2% |
|
Bar Staff |
10,088 |
25.9% |
|
Beauticians and Related Occupations |
3,734 |
14.9% |
|
Care Workers and Home Carers |
53,373 |
11.3% |
|
Caretakers |
2,091 |
22.9% |
|
Carpenters and Joiners |
9,383 |
16.8% |
|
Chartered and Certified Accountants |
24,466 |
8.8% |
|
Chefs |
40,619 |
19.2% |
|
Cleaners and Domestics |
47,983 |
21.1% |
|
Delivery Operatives |
985 |
7.7% |
|
Electricians and Electrical Fitters |
10,110 |
9.6% |
|
Elementary Storage Occupations n.e.c. |
4,421 |
18.6% |
|
Elementary Storage Supervisors |
2,763 |
12.4% |
|
Finance and Investment Analysts and Advisers |
14,119 |
2.0% |
|
Fitness and Wellbeing Instructors |
4,837 |
18.3% |
|
Food, Drink and Tobacco Process Operatives |
304 |
24.1% |
|
Hairdressers and Barbers |
2,371 |
9.9% |
|
Large Goods Vehicle Drivers |
32,851 |
12.5% |
|
Mechanical Engineers |
17,495 |
5.5% |
|
Other Registered Nursing Professionals |
18,313 |
8.8% |
|
Primary Education Teaching Professionals |
13,548 |
-2.5% |
|
Programmers and Software Development Professionals |
35,453 |
7.3% |
|
Property, Housing and Estate Managers |
7,003 |
19.5% |
|
Registered Children's Nurses |
850 |
20.6% |
|
Registered Community Nurses |
2,133 |
18.0% |
|
Registered Mental Health Nurses |
1,357 |
-2.2% |
|
Registered Nurse Practitioners |
4,710 |
16.1% |
|
Registered Specialist Nurses |
4,508 |
10.5% |
|
Sales and Retail Assistants |
27,542 |
27.0% |
|
Secondary Education Teaching Professionals |
14,850 |
2.8% |
|
Security Guards and Related Occupations |
8,015 |
26.2% |
|
Solicitors and Lawyers |
22,206 |
11.6% |
|
Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials |
5,960 |
10.2% |
|
Waiters and Waitresses |
10,013 |
28.9% |
|
Warehouse Operatives |
19,156 |
28.6% |
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