LONDON / RankWire.AI / – According to recent data from Adzuna, the number of graduate job openings in the UK declined by nearly 46% in July compared to the same month last year. The platform listed 8,383 active graduate vacancies, a sharp decrease from 15,397 in July 2025. This marks the lowest figure since Adzuna launched its monthly graduate job series in April 2016. The current total is significantly below the peak of over 55,000 vacancies recorded in 2017 during the series’ height.
The wider UK labor market experienced increased competition during the same period. Adzuna’s data shows there were 2.14 jobseekers per vacancy in July, up from 1.93 a year earlier. This metric reflects the overall job market, not solely graduate roles, and is derived from online job ads aggregated from more than 1,000 sources. Consequently, the graduate vacancy count may not encompass every position available to university leavers.
Official labour statistics also report a decrease in vacancies across the UK economy. The Office for National Statistics estimated there were 707,000 vacancies between May and July 2026. This figure is 6,000 lower than the previous three-month period and 19,000 below the same period last year. Additionally, ONS data indicated 2.5 unemployed people per vacancy from April through June, an increase from 2.3 a year earlier.
Graduate recruitment slows amid rising competition
The decline in vacancies coincides with a record number of young individuals preparing to start higher education. UCAS reported that 262,820 UK 18-year-olds had secured undergraduate places by results day on August 13, representing a 3% increase from 255,130 at the same stage last year. Despite this, the entry rate for UK 18-year-olds remained steady at 31.6%, even with the rise in accepted applications.
Data from recruitment surveys reveal intense competition for well-established graduate schemes. The Institute of Student Employers indicated that during the 2024/25 recruitment cycle, participating employers received just over one million applications for graduate positions. On average, employers reported 140 applications per vacancy, with application volumes reaching record levels among the organizations included in their research.
Overall UK vacancy levels stay subdued
Since April 2025, changes in hiring costs have been influenced by previously announced tax measures. The employer National Insurance rate increased to 15% from 13.8%, while the annual secondary threshold dropped to £5,000 from £9,100. The Office for National Statistics noted that some small businesses had limited recruitment due to higher labour and operational expenses. Its latest figures showed vacancies declined in nine out of 18 industry sectors.
The role of artificial intelligence in entry-level employment has also been a topic of discussion, although official assessments remain cautious about its measurable impact. Skills England commented in August that disentangling AI’s influence from broader labour market trends remains challenging. Meanwhile, ONS data indicated that 1.012 million individuals aged 16 to 24 were neither in education, employment, nor training during January through March 2026. This accounted for 13.5% of young people in that age group, representing an increase of 89,000 from the previous year.
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