Career breaks are becoming increasingly common among British workers, with more employees stepping away from their roles to travel, care for family or recover from burnout. But while attitudes to CV gaps are softening, concerns are mounting about the long-term financial cost.
More than half of workers now report at least one gap in their employment history, according to a major analysis of UK CVs. The data shows that 24 percent of jobseekers in 2025 had a break of 12 months or more, up from 18 percent in 2020. A further 32 percent had a gap of at least six months.
The figures come from LiveCareer, a CV-building platform, which analysed 19 million CVs submitted by UK jobseekers over the past five years. They reflect a broader change in how employers and candidates view time out of work, with a growing number of companies offering formal return programmes to help individuals re-enter the workforce.
Among younger workers, planned breaks are especially popular. According to a 2025 survey by consultancy Barnett Waddingham, 34 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they were planning a sabbatical — a short break with a job to return to — while 29 percent were exploring longer career pauses. In the 25 to 34 age group, the figures were 26 and 23 percent respectively.
Career mentor Catherine Snell told The Times that the pandemic had contributed to a change in mindset. She said younger people were more proactive about protecting their wellbeing and saw career breaks as an intentional way to pause and re-evaluate. “For many, it’s a ‘life is too short’ mentality, a huge part of which was born out of the pandemic. It caused a lot of people to re-evaluate what really matters in their lives,” she said.
Growing employer support for returners
Employers have become more accepting of CV gaps, particularly in sectors facing talent shortages. Many are offering returnship placements to help people re-enter the workplace, especially after time out for parenting, caregiving or health reasons.
Returnships are paid placements that typically last between three and six months and are designed to rebuild confidence and skills. They are increasingly used in science, tech, engineering and finance. Participating organisations include the Bank of England, Morgan Stanley and a range of engineering and recruitment firms.
Julianne Miles, co-founder of consultants Career Returners, told The Times that employer attitudes had changed significantly. “We’re seeing more organisations open to sabbaticals or flexible working if staff want time for travel and study to grow and expand their skills because they want to retain that person longer term,” she said.
She said while the UK had embraced returner programmes, similar initiatives were rare in other European countries, where support structures remain limited. Analysis of 4.9 million CVs from LiveCareer found that long employment gaps are even more common in France, Germany and Italy, yet returnships have not taken off in the same way outside the UK and Ireland.
The pension gap few consider
Although the benefits of a career break may be immediate, the long-term cost can be substantial, particularly regarding retirement savings. Many workers who pause their careers do not maintain pension contributions during the break, leading to large financial shortfalls later in life.
Paul Leandro of Barnett Waddingham said younger people often underestimated the impact of missing even a single year. “Younger people aren’t as engaged as they should be in pensions because retirement isn’t tangible. It feels like a lifetime away,” he said.
Modelling by investment firm AJ Bell shows that a one-year break taken at age 35 could reduce an individual’s retirement pot by £33,000, assuming they earn £27,000 annually and contribute at the minimum auto-enrolment rate. Two separate breaks at 30 and 33 could lead to a shortfall of more than £67,000 by age 66.
Leandro said the best way to close the gap was to act quickly upon returning to work. “If a 35-year-old who’s taken a 12-month break increases contributions by just 1 percent when they return, that’s enough to bridge the gap. If they wait until 55, they’ll need an extra 6 percent,” he said.
He encouraged couples to consider pensions jointly, rather than individually, particularly during parental leave.
Some employers are now introducing auto-escalation policies, where contribution levels increase automatically as pay rises. It’s an approach that could, experts say, help returning staff recover missed pension contributions without needing to make big lifestyle changes.
Being honest about the gap
Experts say one of the biggest mistakes jobseekers make is either ignoring the break on their CV or trying to explain it away. Snell said recruiters could quickly spot inconsistencies and value honesty over concealment.
Returners are also encouraged not to rush into the first job that becomes available, especially if they are mid-career professionals. Miles said that reflection and support were key to a sustainable comeback, and that many jobseekers underestimate their transferable skills.
The findings suggest that employers are increasingly open to hiring returners and recognising the value of career breaks, especially when the experiences gained during that time are presented well.
As formal return programmes gain ground and flexibility becomes more mainstream, a well-managed break may no longer be seen as a career setback. But for those stepping away from the workforce, financial planning will remain a crucial part of the decision.
