Despite reports of falling recruitment in the UK, pockets of optimism remain with a 24% uptick in contractor vacancies between January 2025 and January 2024, according to research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) and Bullhorn.

Further research showed a 17% increase in contract roles between November 2024 and January 2025 (excluding December’s seasonal lull).

 “We are likely to see the impact of the government’s Employment Rights Bill and NICs increases continue to play out throughout this year, however, we are seeing some positive signs within the highly skilled, professional recruitment market,” Moya Rylands, commercial director at APSCo, said in a press release. “It may take some time before this becomes sustained growth, but for now it is a promising emblem for the employment landscape. It does, however, suggest that skills shortages continue to plague many businesses.”

“Given the sectors APSCo’s data represents, it is highly likely that much of this demand is being driven by employers responding to resourcing gaps, rather than expanding their headcount ahead of the April roll out of the rise in NICs,” Ryland added.

The number of new permanent roles added between November 2024 and January 2025 rose 19%, according to research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) and Bullhorn.

“Recruitment activity saw its usual January surge, with promising signs from contract jobs in particular which reached a 20-month high, and permanent vacancies also rebounding from the year-end slowdown,” Joseph Buckley, manager, business analytics, Bullhorn, added. “Recruiters proved eager to tackle this bounty head-on, boosting month over month job coverage with a flurry of CV sends to match new client demand. Naturally there was an increase in placements and sales (still down year-over-year) so whilst the activity data is encouraging, it’s unclear if this signals a sustained boost. If momentum continues and commitment to hire backs up the deluge of new vacancies, then 2025 could be a year of stabilisation if not growth; the next few months will be key.”