UK Labour Market Snapshot — September 2026 - Indeed Hiring Lab

The Indeed Hiring Lab monthly snapshot of the UK labour market summarises where key indicators – job postings, wages, unemployment, and vacancies – stand as of September 2026 and flags the trends worth watching in the months ahead. Overall hiring demand has remained broadly flat since the start of June, following a period of softening. UK job postings on Indeed edged down in the month to 18 September, slipping 1.5%. Postings still sit 31% below early 2020 levels, amid continued employer hesitancy and cost pressures. While hiring demand remains subdued, job losses remain limited; it remains a low-hire, low-fire labour market. Where we are: The Indeed Job Postings Index (JPI) weakened from March through May, but has held broadly steady since.