The UK labour market is showing encouraging signs of stabilisation, according to new data from Aspen Tech Labs’ JobMarketPulse Intelligence Suite.
Direct employer hiring rose 2.5% month-on-month in September, signalling renewed recruitment activity after a quieter summer period. Although total vacancies remain 2.6% below last year’s levels, the figures suggest that employers are gradually rebuilding their hiring pipelines.
In contrast, recruitment agency activity dipped marginally (-0.3% MoM) but remains 2.3% higher year-on-year, underscoring a steady flow of client demand as the market continues to recalibrate.
Company Insights
Kids Planet, one of the UK’s largest nursery groups, reported an 18.6% annual rise in job postings, with two peaks this year highlighting accelerated phases of expansion. While early childhood care roles continue to dominate, the group has also increased hiring for senior and executive positions across 16 locations.
Lloyds Banking Group saw a 61% surge in job postings during September, driven largely by UK-based IT roles supporting its digital transformation programmes. Recruitment also rose across customer service and risk management functions, with the primary hiring momentum concentrated in the UK despite modest growth at its Hyderabad Technology Centre.
Wages and Transparency
Wages continue to edge upward.
- Median full-time salary: £35,360 — up £1,706 YoY
- Median part-time hourly pay: £13.06 — up £0.85 YoY
The proportion of job postings including pay information climbed to 51.7%, reflecting continued progress toward greater transparency.
Finance (£55,994), IT (£54,995), and Healthcare (£52,499) remain the UK’s top-paying industries, while Retail, Hospitality, and Personal Services sit below £27,000, reinforcing persistent wage segmentation across sectors.
Seasonal Hiring Momentum
Recruitment in retail, restaurants, and transport categories strengthened from late August, with activity expected to peak through October and November as employers gear up for the festive period.
Major consumer-facing employers including Tesco, M&S, Boots, and Compass Group have boosted postings, while Dee Set Logistics and Sportswift (Card Factory) have seen hiring activity jump by more than 90% over the past three months.
Outlook
After two consecutive months of stronger hiring from direct employers, the UK job market appears to be moving toward stability. Agency demand remains robust, wages are rising, and pay transparency continues to improve. With seasonal hiring expected to remain strong across retail and logistics, momentum is likely to continue into Q4 2025.
For deeper insights into industry, regional, and occupational trends, request a demo of the JobMarketPulse Intelligence Suite at www.aspentechlabs.com.
Published in partnership with Aspen Tech Labs
Source: Aspen Tech Labs, JobMarketPulse Intelligence Suite – October 2025
