The number of job vacancies in the UK has reached an all-time high, with “strong growth” in sectors affected by the easing of foreclosure restrictions, new figures show.
There were about 953,000 vacant positions between May and July of this year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is a jump of more than 40% from the start of the year – and the highest figure since the records began in 2001.
The ONS said there were 3.2 vacancies per 100 jobs in the UK between May and July, which is also a record.
The arts, entertainment and recreation industry saw the strongest growth in the period, with the number of job vacancies up 276% from February to April, according to data from the statistical agency.
Other industries affected by the easing of lockdown restrictions have seen the number of vacancies skyrocket, including the hospitality sector.
The number of UK workers also rebounded in July as the labor market continued to recover, figures show.
The ONS found that the number of UK workers on payrolls increased by 182,000 between June and July, although at 28.9 million it is still 201,000 fewer than before the Covid pandemic.
The statistical agency also confirmed that the unemployment rate fell to 4.7% for the three-month period ending in late June.
Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician for economic statistics at the ONS, said: “The world of work continues to rebound vigorously from the effects of the pandemic.
“The number of people on the payroll has risen sharply again and has now grown by more than half a million in the past three months, regaining about four-fifths of the decline seen at the start of the pandemic.”
He said early survey figures also showed the number of job vacancies topped one million for the first time in July.
A recent report from a job site Caterer.com found that hospitality jobs have jumped 342% since the industry was allowed to reopen during the Covid pandemic and some areas have reportedly been particularly hard hit by the loss of European workers.
Additional reporting by the Press Association
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Source: www.independent.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-08-17 08:30:42