Overview

• The KPMG–REC August survey recorded permanent placements at 44.2, up from 40 in July yet still below the 50 growth threshold, with temp billings at 46.8.
• Recruiters reported the fastest rise in available staff since November 2020, attributed to redundancies and tighter employer budgets, with London posting its sharpest increase in over two years.
• A Bank of England survey showed firms cut employment by 0.5% in the three months to August, the largest drop since September 2021.
• REC chief executive Neil Carberry urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to avoid adding hiring costs in the 26 November Autumn Budget.
• KPMG’s Jon Holt said hiring is unlikely to rebound soon as companies reassess investment plans in light of policy uncertainty and rapid advances in AI, while PwC UK signalled a smaller graduate intake.