Remote job adverts fell to their lowest level since March 2020 as UK vacancies declined for a sixth consecutive month, adding to pressure on jobseekers and signalling a stronger push by employers for office-based working.
Competition for roles also intensified at the end of 2025, with more candidates chasing fewer vacancies as unemployment remained elevated and hiring slowed across several frontline sectors.
Despite weaker recruitment demand, advertised salaries continued to rise, suggesting employers were still paying more to attract and retain staff even as overall job opportunities shrank.
Vacancies fell again as competition increased
The figures were published in the latest UK Job Market Report by jobs site Adzuna. It reported that UK vacancies fell by 3.84% month-on-month in December to 716,791 roles. Vacancies were also 15.09% lower than in December 2024 and Adzuna said 2025 recorded the lowest average vacancy levels of any full year since 2020.
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The report said competition for jobs rose to its highest level in more than four years, with 2.3 jobseekers per vacancy in December, up from 2.19 the previous month. Adzuna linked the increase to weaker hiring conditions, alongside Office for National Statistics data showing unemployment holding at 5.1%, the highest rate since 2020.
The slowdown appeared to be hitting some of the largest employing sectors. Vacancies fell across hospitality and retail in December, with the usual seasonal uplift failing to materialise, while logistics and warehouse hiring also weakened.
Remote roles dropped sharply as office presence increased
Alongside the fall in vacancies, Adzuna reported a steep decline in remote job adverts, which it said had dropped to the lowest level since March 2020.
In December, there were 45,581 advertised remote roles, down 42% year-on-year. Employers were reducing remote opportunities and seeking greater office presence, while office-based job adverts rose. It also reported that hybrid roles continued to increase steadily.
The data adds to the ongoing shift in how employers advertise flexibility, with some organisations tightening expectations around attendance while still presenting roles as offering some degree of hybrid working.
It also suggests jobseekers may have fewer fully remote options to choose from at a time when competition is rising, particularly for roles in professional services and technology where remote work became more common during the pandemic.
Pay rose again, but salary transparency slipped
The average advertised UK salary rose by 6.77% year-on-year to £42,991 in December. It was also up 0.71% on the previous month, and the report said annual salaries had been rising for 43 consecutive months since May 2022.
Pay growth continued to outpace inflation, which rose to 3.4% in December. Sectors with pay growth exceeding inflation included domestic help and cleaning, information technology, logistics and warehouse roles and retail.
The report also found that the share of job adverts including pay details fell to its lowest level since Adzuna records began in 2016, with only 41.97% of listings disclosing salary information. That meant 58.03% of job adverts did not include pay.
The reduction in pay transparency may make it harder for candidates to assess roles quickly. It could increase the risk of wasted applications and longer recruitment cycles, particularly in a labour market where employers are receiving high volumes of applicants.
Early careers roles showed signs of recovery
While overall vacancies fell, Adzuna reported what it described as early signs of improvement for those entering the labour market.
Graduate vacancies rose by 3.9% month-on-month in December, while entry-level roles increased by 18.3%. Both categories remained down on the previous year, with graduate vacancies 34.6% lower than in December 2024 and entry-level roles down 1.13% annually.
The report said this suggested some employers were beginning to plan ahead for 2026, restarting early careers hiring after a prolonged period of decline.
Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, described a labour market where advertised pay was still rising faster than inflation even as overall hiring slowed. “Average advertised salaries continued to surge in January, outstripping inflation as they approach £41,000 – a record high since we started tracking the UK job market in 2016.
“Sectors including manufacturing, maintenance and retail are driving this trend whilst Northern Ireland continues to be the fastest-growing region for salary growth across the UK.”
Hunter said the data suggested competition for talent was continuing in key areas even as vacancies fell elsewhere.
He said some parts of the market remained resilient while others had weakened. “While trade and construction and admin roles remain strong, the gains we’ve seen in teaching in recent months appear to be levelling out, while the majority of sectors have seen notable drops.”
He said both employers and jobseekers were feeling the impact of a more competitive hiring environment. “For jobseekers, this means adapting to a more competitive landscape, while for employers, attracting and retaining talent remains a challenge.”
Biggest drop in Scotland
Adzuna said vacancy declines were seen across most regions in December, with Scotland recording the steepest monthly fall. It added that jobseekers in the North East faced the highest competition, while the South West remained the least competitive region.
The report also noted that advertised salaries rose across every region on both a monthly and annual basis, with Wales recording the strongest annual pay growth. London remained the highest-paying region, with an average advertised salary of £49,564.
As employers continue to advertise fewer vacancies and reduce fully remote options, the report suggested jobseekers could face a tougher start to 2026, even as pay levels remain relatively strong and early careers hiring shows signs of stabilising.
