LONDON / RankWire.AI / – According to the latest data from Adzuna, UK graduate job vacancies experienced a nearly 46% decline in July compared to the same month last year. The platform reported 8,383 active graduate vacancies, a decrease from 15,397 in July 2025. This marks the lowest number since Adzuna launched its monthly graduate jobs series in April 2016. The current total is significantly below the over 55,000 vacancies observed at the series’ peak in 2017.
Over the same period, competition in the broader UK job market also intensified. Adzuna’s data shows that in July, there were 2.14 jobseekers per vacancy, up from 1.93 a year earlier. This metric covers the entire labour market rather than solely graduate roles. Since Adzuna pulls online job listings from more than 1,000 sources, its graduate vacancy count does not encompass every position available to university leavers.
Official figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal a decrease in vacancies across the UK economy as well. For the period of May through July 2026, it estimated 707,000 vacancies, which is 6,000 fewer than the previous three months and 19,000 less than the same period last year. Additionally, the ONS reported an average of 2.5 unemployed individuals per vacancy from April to June, up from 2.3 a year earlier.
Graduate recruitment slows amid rising competition
This downward trend coincides with a record number of young people preparing for higher education. UCAS reported that 262,820 UK 18-year-olds had secured undergraduate places by results day on August 13. This figure is 3% higher than the 255,130 recorded at the same stage last year. Despite this increase in accepted applicants, the entry rate for UK 18-year-olds remained steady at 31.6%.
Data from recruitment surveys also indicates stiff competition for established graduate schemes. The Institute of Student Employers noted that during the 2024/25 recruitment cycle, employers received just over one million graduate applications. On average, there were 140 applications for each graduate vacancy, with application numbers remaining at record levels among the surveyed employers.
UK job market remains subdued overall
Changes in hiring costs have been evident since April 2025, influenced by previously announced tax measures. The employer National Insurance contribution increased to 15% from 13.8%, and the secondary threshold fell to £5,000 from £9,100 annually. According to the ONS, feedback from its vacancy survey suggests that some small businesses are limiting recruitment due to higher labour and operational expenses. Recent figures show vacancies declined across nine of 18 industry sectors.
Artificial intelligence continues to feature prominently in discussions about entry-level employment, though official assessments remain cautious regarding its immediate impact. Skills England stated in August that distinguishing AI’s influence from broader labour market trends is still challenging. Meanwhile, ONS data shows that 1.012 million people aged 16 to 24 were not engaged in education, employment, or training from January through March 2026. This represents 13.5% of young people in that age group and marks an increase of 89,000 from the previous year.