The number of job vacancies in the UK in April reached 1.179 million, up 2% when compared to last year and the highest level since November 2015, according to the latest UK Jobs Market Report from Adzuna.

The report also shows that average salaries reached a six-month high of £32,678, but it was down 2.3% from last year while competition for jobseekers for every vacancy fell year-on-year 18.5% to 0.44, a 2017 low.

Meanwhile, a third of UK vacancies were impacted by the increase in National Living Wage and less than 1% of open roles pay top salaries of over £100,000. Both Labour and the Conservatives have made pledges to increase the National Minimum Wage in their recently published manifestos.

Adzuna research also shows that a third of all jobs in the UK are affected by minimum wage rises and almost twice as many North East vacancies (41%) are affected by minimum wage changes compared to the capital (22%). Wales (40%), the North West (39%), the East Midlands (39%) and South West England (39%) would also see a proportion of vacancies impacted.