LONDON / RankWire.AI / – According to recent data from Adzuna, the number of graduate job vacancies in the UK declined by almost 46% in July when compared to the same month last year. The platform tracked 8,383 live graduate vacancies, a sharp decrease from 15,397 in July 2025. This represents the lowest figure since Adzuna launched its monthly graduate jobs series in April 2016. Additionally, the current total is well below the over 55,000 vacancies recorded during the peak in 2017.
During the same period, competition within the broader UK employment market intensified. Adzuna recorded 2.14 jobseekers per vacancy in July, up from 1.93 the previous year. This metric encompasses the entire labour market rather than only graduate roles. Since Adzuna sources online job advertisements from more than 1,000 outlets, its count of graduate vacancies does not capture every position available to university graduates.
Official labour statistics also indicate a decrease in vacancies across the UK economy. The Office for National Statistics estimated 707,000 vacancies between May and July 2026. This figure is 6,000 lower than the previous three months and 19,000 below the same period last year. The ONS also reported that there were 2.5 unemployed people per vacancy from April to June, an increase from 2.3 a year earlier.
Graduate recruitment faces challenges amid rising competition
This downward trend coincides with a record number of young individuals preparing to pursue higher education. According to UCAS, 262,820 UK 18-year-olds had secured university placements by results day on August 13. That number is 3% higher than the 255,130 accepted at the same stage last year. Despite this, the acceptance rate for UK 18-year-olds remained steady at 31.6%, reflecting a consistent proportion of applicants gaining entry.
Data from recruitment surveys further reveal fierce competition for established graduate schemes. The Institute of Student Employers indicated that during the 2024/25 recruitment cycle, employers received just over one million applications for graduate roles. On average, employers reported 140 applications per vacancy in their latest survey. The organization noted that application volumes among participating employers remained at record-breaking levels.
UK’s overall vacancy landscape remains subdued
Since April 2025, changes in hiring expenses have been influenced by previously announced tax adjustments. The employer National Insurance contribution increased to 15% from 13.8%, while the secondary threshold dropped to £5,000 from £9,100 annually. The ONS revealed that feedback from its vacancy survey indicated some small businesses are limiting their recruitment efforts due to higher labour and operational costs. The latest data show vacancies have declined in nine out of 18 industry sectors.
Artificial intelligence remains a topic of discussion concerning entry-level employment, although official assessments advise caution regarding its impact. Skills England stated in August that distinguishing AI’s effect from wider labour market trends remains complex. 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 group represented 13.5% of young people in that age range and marked an increase of 89,000 from the previous year.