UK ONS says rising costs drive job openings down 18,000
Business
UK job openings have dropped to their lowest point since 2021, with 18,000 fewer roles available between April and June this year.
The ONS says rising costs are making small businesses hold off on hiring or skip replacing staff, which is driving the decline.
UK public pay growth outstrips private
The biggest cuts happened in fields like science, tech, health, and social work, especially among small companies losing 8,000 vacancies.
Even with fewer vacancies, unemployment stayed at 4.9%.
Meanwhile, pay is growing much faster in the public sector (up 6.1%) than in private companies (just 2.8%), widening the wage gap.